JUSTICE

Human Trafficking

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to tackle human trafficking.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	We have published a draft Modern Slavery Bill, which will consolidate and strengthen existing legislation to ensure that modern slave drivers face the full force of the law.
	In the spring, we will also be publishing a comprehensive action plan setting out further measures to tackle this terrible crime.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which buildings occupied by her Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

James Brokenshire: A schedule of the buildings occupied by the Department, that are owned or part-owned privately will be placed in the House Library. The total value of rent paid currently is £42,418,045 per annum, plus VAT where payable.

Civil Disorder: Compensation

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects all claims made under the Riots Damages Act 1886, following the riots in summer 2011, to be settled.

Damian Green: Responsibility for determining claims is a matter for police and crime commissioners or, in London, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime.
	Only four uninsured cases made under the Riot (Damages) Act remain outstanding.
	The remainder of outstanding claims are reimbursement payments to insurers where the policy holder has already received an interim payment or settlement of their claim.
	The Government plan to hold a public consultation early this year on potential reforms to the Riot (Damages) Act.

Criminal Investigation: International Co-operation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether decisions by the UK Central Authority to grant requests from overseas jurisdictions for mutual legal assistance are subject to a binding assessment of whether or not they would comply with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 January 2014
	The UK Central Authority (UKCA) considers each mutual legal assistance (MLA) request on a case by case basis, taking into account all applicable domestic and international law obligations (including human rights obligations) and any wider policy issues which may apply. A non-exhaustive list of reasons why a MLA request could be refused by UKCA can be found at page 11 of the MLA guidance published on
	www.gov.uk

Fuels: Tax Evasion

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the National Crime Agency has taken to tackle fuel laundering and smuggling.

James Brokenshire: The National Crime Agency is leading, coordinating and supporting the UK's fight against serious and organised crime. This can include investigations into smuggling by organised crime groups of illegal commodities, and supporting HM Revenue and Customs and other law enforcement activity to tackle fuel laundering and smuggling.

Immigrants: Detainees

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many of those detained at (a) Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre and (b) all immigration detention centres were diagnosed with a mental illness in each of the last 12 months; and how many of those were (i) released from detention as a consequence and (ii) transferred to a hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983;
	(2)  how many of those detained at (a) Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre and (b) all immigration detention centres were diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder in each of the last 12 months; and how many of those were (i) released from detention as a consequence and (ii) transferred to a hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Mark Harper: It is not possible to provide the numbers of individuals released from detention as a consequence of specific illnesses without examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
	Medical records for detainees are confidential. The Home Office would only seek information from medical practitioners where it was directly relevant to the consideration of the case.
	The decision on whether continuing detention is appropriate is a matter for case owners who must take a number of factors into consideration, including any reported or observed mental health issues.
	Under the requirements of the Detention Centre Rules 2001, case (owners are alerted to changes in a detainee's medical condition through a rule 35(1) report which advises of any detained person whose health is likely to be injuriously affected by continued detention or any conditions of detention.

Immigration: Appeals

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecuting officers in immigration appeal cases were awarded bonuses or other extras in appreciation of their work in the last five years.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 January 2014
	The Home Office does not centrally record information on individuals who have received bonuses or other recognition by specific job roles. Providing this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Immigration: Appeals

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many decisions in immigration cases were decided in favour of the appellant (a) a week before the appeal date, (b) a day before the appeal date and (c) on the day of the appeal date.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 January 2014
	A decision giving rise to an appeal may, on occasion, be withdrawn prior to the appeal date. The following table provides a breakdown of in-country appeal case types withdrawn by the Home in the requested time periods. The data relates to 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013.
	The main reason for withdrawal taking place on or very close to the date of the hearing is that new evidence (often served by the appellant) comes to light which means the original decision is no longer sustainable and the hearing should not proceed.
	
		
			  Number 
			 Appeals withdrawn by the Home Office within a week of the appeal date 713 
			 Appeals withdrawn by the Home Office within a day of the appeal date 383 
			 Appeals withdrawn by the Home Office on the same day as the appeal date 873 
		
	
	The data on which our response is based are management information which have been subject to internal quality checks. The information has been provided by and assured by the Home Office Performance Unit but has not been quality assured under national statistics protocols.

Passports

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the prevalence of copycat websites for passport applications and renewals; what estimate she has made of the costs to consumers of using such websites; and what steps she is taking to inform the public about such websites.

Mark Harper: holding answer 17 January 2014
	The website www.gov.uk is the only provider of the British passport and passport applicants should use the official Government website.
	All third party sites stating that they are offering passport services are required to carry a clear disclaimer that they are not an official passport site or affiliated in any way to Her Majesty's Passport Office. The Government Digital Service is leading a cross-government exercise with organisations such as the Office of Fair Trading, the Advertising Standards Authority, search engine providers and various trading standard bodies to curtail the activity of websites that advertise their services in misleading ways, using existing consumer protection legislation. Where Government have become aware of websites make misleading claims in their advertising they have brought these complaints to the attention of the Advertising Standards Authority.
	Her Majesty's Passport Office also continues to work with the Association of British Travel Agents to raise public awareness of third party websites.

Passports

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will meet Google to discuss the profits they make from copycat websites which charge for passport renewals and appear above Government department and agency websites in search results.

Mark Harper: The website www.gov.uk is the only provider of the British passport and passport applicants should use the official Government website.
	The Government Digital Service is leading a cross-Government exercise with organisations such as the Office of Fair Trading, the Advertising Standards Authority, search engine providers (including Google) and various trading standards bodies to curtail the activity of websites that advertise their services in misleading ways.
	Ministers are planning to meet Google early this year to discuss Google's enforcement of its own terms and conditions for advertising on its search results pages.

Procurement

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether she plans to change the tendering process for statutory recovery contracts during the current Parliament; [R]
	(2)  what procedures are in place for her Department to oversee the statutory recovery contract tendering process. [R]

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not collect this information. Details of contracts are an operational matter between the police and contracted recovery operators.

Riot Control Weapons: Greater London

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the deployment of water cannon in London to tackle street disorder.

Damian Green: I am keen to ensure police forces have the tools and powers they need to maintain order on our streets. My officials are currently providing advice on the authorisation process to the police.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Cabinet Office Guidance for Customer Service Helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when her Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

James Brokenshire: The following table details the plans to migrate 084 numbers to the 03 prefix.
	
		
			 Prefix Number of lines/ service Plans to migrate to 03 prefix 
			 0845 Nationality Contact Centre / European Enquiry Line Plans underway to migrate by the middle of the year to coincide with the upgrade to the Contact Centre telephony systems. 
			  Asylum Support Line 1— 
			 1 Indicates brace

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in her Department in each of the last three years.

Mark Harper: The Home Office does not centrally record the number of people who undertake work experience and to provide this information could be done only at disproportionate cost.

TREASURY

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with what bank his Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Nicky Morgan: The HM Treasury account is held with the Government Banking Service (GBS) and this does not have an overdraft facility. HM Treasury core Department does not hold any commercial accounts outside the GBS.
	All core Departments bank with the GBS. This ensures that balances held in these accounts are held within the Exchequer at the Bank of England.

Banks

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on placing a Minister or other departmental representative on the board of directors of those banks in receipt of public funds and support; and if he will consider appointing as non-executive directors to the boards of banks in receipt of public funds for recapitalisation representatives from the (a) bankworkers' trade union and (b) third sector.

Sajid Javid: Both Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland are commercial companies in which the Government is a shareholder, but they are run on a commercial basis. To ensure that this is the case, UK Financial Investments (UKFI) manage the Government's stake at arm's length, on behalf of the Government.

Banks: Pay

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it the policy of UK Financial Investments that any financial institutions in receipt of public money which have a policy of paying end-of-year bonuses publish the payments and their recipients at the time the payment is made.

Sajid Javid: Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland publish annual remuneration reports to ensure that their remuneration policy is both transparent and appropriate. The remuneration reports set out in detail the banks' overall remuneration policy, including the remuneration of senior executive employees.

Financial Institutions: Internet

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) the US Administration about the top-level Internet domains .bank and .insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The application round for the creation of new top level domains is being undertaken by the private sector-led, US-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The UK, the European Commission and the US Government are active members of ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) which advises the ICANN Board on matters of public interest relating to the internet's domain name system. Following consultations with national financial regulators in 2012-13, including the Financial Services Authority in the UK, the GAC agreed that all applications for domains intended to target the financial services sector required specific safeguards in order to mitigate any risk of fraud or other consumer harm. The GAC communicated its advice on these additional safeguards to the ICANN Board on 11 April 2013 and the Board accepted this advice in its entirety.

Financial Services: Pay

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) internal and (b) external legal work on the Government's court action against the EU plan to cap bonus payments in the financial industries;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of legal action by the Government on the proposed EU cap on bankers' bonuses.

Sajid Javid: The Government launched a legal challenge to the bonus cap and related provisions in the EU capital requirements directive 4, and capital requirements regulation in September 2013. Costs are expected to be in line with the information presented in the House of Commons EU Scrutiny Committee report (HC671) “Subsidiarity-monitoring by national parliaments: challenging a measure before the EU Court of Justice”, in September 2013.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what value of contracts procured by his Department in the last five years was carried out below EU thresholds.

Nicky Morgan: Information on the number and value of contracts procured in the last five years that were below EU thresholds is not readily available within our records; to attempt to extract this information would be of disproportionate cost.
	The Government are committed to openness and transparency to enable the public to hold the government and other public bodies to account. This Government have made more data available than ever before. Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the tenders issued and contracts they award with a value over £10,000 (excluding VAT)
	www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
	In addition, Departments including HM Treasury routinely publish details of transactions over £25,000.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of his Department's contracts have been let to companies with (a) one to five, (b) six to 49, (c) 50 to 250 and (d) more than 250 staff.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury is committed to increasing its direct and indirect spend with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However the department does not hold information on supplier staff numbers that would answer the question to the level of detail specified. This information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of each grade in his Department have the authority to make a purchase; what proportion of those staff have professional procurement qualifications; and what the key indicators used to assess procurement officers' performance are.

Nicky Morgan: 19 group directors of HM Treasury or equivalent have delegated authority to commit the Department to incur expenditure on behalf of the accounting officer. Full guidance to support directors when purchasing is available on the Department's intranet site and for purchases with .an expected value in excess of £10,000 Directors are required to use the managed procurement service provided by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS). This ensures that material procurement is handled by professional experts.
	Performance measures are in place to monitor the quality of the service provided by CCS.

Productivity

Paul Maynard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what analysis his Department has conducted on the level of productivity in the UK economy relative to pre-recession trends.

Nicky Morgan: Productivity in the UK is below the pre-recession peak, on an output per worker basis, but it has been rising for the three quarters to 2013 Q3.
	The OBR expects productivity growth to strengthen in 2014 and 2015 and to rise throughout the forecast period.

Public Expenditure

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of the total public spending in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland in each year since 1990.

Danny Alexander: The Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) published in November 2013, provides country level splits of identifiable public expenditure over a five-year out-turn period from 2008-09 to 2012-13 and is available using the first of the following links. However, it is possible to extend this time series as far back as 1990-91, by adding in data from past volumes of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA)-publication. These links are also available as follows:
	Links to the latest CRA and to past volumes of PESA
	Data from 2008-09 to 2012-13 published in the 2013 CRA. A link is provided here;
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/country-and-regional-analysis-2013
	Data from 2004-05 to 2007-08 are from PESA volumes 2010 to 2013. A link is provided here;
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-expenditure-statistical-analyses-pesa
	Data prior to 2004-05 obtained from PESA volumes 2002-03 to 2009. A link is provided here;
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101128151454/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pespub_index.htm
	A time series based on this data would not be fully comparable. Each CRA exercise is produced in five year time periods and departmental allocation methodologies will therefore develop and change over time. This can be to do with statistical improvements or the necessity to disaggregate additional functions.

Sovereignty: Scotland

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2013, Official Report, column 759W, on sovereignty: Scotland, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on (a) individuals servicing the costs of (i) unsecured personal loans, (ii) overdrafts, (iii) lending on store or credit cards, (iv) mortgages, (v) other secured personal loans held by persons with financial institutions based in Scotland and (b) businesses operating in Scotland servicing the costs of (i) loans and (ii) overdrafts with financial institutions based in Scotland if Scotland were to become an independent country and the Bank of England was not its lender of last resort.

Danny Alexander: The Chief Secretary, the Chancellor, former Chancellors, the Shadow Chancellor and the First Minister of Wales have said that a formal sterling currency union between an independent Scotland and the continuing UK would be highly unlikely to be agreed or be made to—work. Therefore it would be highly unlikely the Bank of England would provide lender of last resort facilities to an independent Scotland.
	As set out in the Scotland Analysis: “financial services and banking paper”, independence would be expected to increase funding costs for financial services firms. Increases in funding costs are likely to be passed on to consumers and businesses.

Taxation: Electronic Cigarettes

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what taxation options he is considering in relation to e-cigarettes and the forthcoming budget; and what assessment he has made of the revenue implications of those options.

Nicky Morgan: The Government keep all taxes under review as part of the Budget process.

Taxation: Scotland

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions his Department has had with Ministers or officials from the Scottish Government on (a) new taxes and (b) devolution of taxes under provisions contained in the Scotland Act 2012 since that Act came into force.

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet Ministers and officials from the Scottish Government to discuss matters that are relevant to Scotland. This includes meetings of the Joint Exchequer Committee (JEC) and Inter-governmental Assurance Board, which were created to oversee the implementation of the Scotland Act 2012. The Scottish Government are also represented on HMRC's Scotland Act 2012 implementation programme board and the project boards that report to it. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

UK Asset Resolution

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to ensure that customers with interest only mortgages held by UKAR are supported to ensure that loans are repaid at the end of their terms.

Sajid Javid: UK Asset Resolution (UKAR) have been proactively writing to or calling interest only customers with mortgage terms of 10 years or less remaining, reminding them of their obligations and explaining how UKAR can help. This activity is designed to ensure customers are aware of the need to plan for the repayment of their loan at the end of its term and to encourage them to share details of their plans so UKAR can help ensure they are robust.
	More information on UKAR's strategy for dealing with customers with interest only mortgages can be found on their website under the following link:
	http://www.ukar.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/2013/02-05-2013?page=1

UK Asset Resolution

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mortgages from former Northern Rock are managed via UKAR; and how many such mortgages are non-residential in (a) UK and (b) Scotland.

Sajid Javid: Northern Rock Asset Management (NRAM) is managed by UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR) which was established in 2010 to manage the disposal and rundown of outstanding assets at Bradford and Bingley and Northern Rock Asset Management (NRAM) in an integrated way, with a view to creating value for the taxpayer.
	Information on outstanding mortgages held by UKAR from NRAM is published in UKAR's accounts. The latest report is available under the following link:
	http://www.ukar.co.uk/~/media/Files/U/Ukar-V2/Attachments/press-releases/UKAR-interim-report-141113.pdf

UK Asset Resolution

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many buy to let mortgages from the former Bradford and Bingley plc are currently held through UKAR; and what the total value of such mortgages is.

Sajid Javid: Bradford and Bingley (B&B) is managed by UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR) which was established in 2010 to manage the disposal and rundown of outstanding assets at Bradford and Bingley and Northern Rock Asset Management (NRAM) in an integrated way, with a view to creating value for the taxpayer.
	Information on outstanding mortgages held by UKAR from former B&B is published in UKAR's accounts. The latest report is available under the following link:
	http://www.ukar.co.uk/~/media/Files/U/Ukar-V2/Attachments/press-releases/UKAR-interim-report-141113.pdf

UK Asset Resolution

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by (a) UKAR and (b) UKAR Corporate Services Ltd.

Sajid Javid: UK Asset Resolution publishes its staff numbers in its accounts. The latest publication is available under the following link:
	http://www.ukar.co.uk/~/media/Files/U/Ukar-V2/Attachments/press-releases/UKAR-interim-report-141113.pdf

VAT: Exports

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made at airports since the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 to improve the customer experience around reclaiming VAT on goods exported by passengers leaving the UK.

Mark Harper: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched a formal consultation on options for redesigning the VAT Retail Export Scheme in July 2013. The Summary of Responses of this formal consultation were published by HMRC on 18 December 2013. HMRC and Border Force are working closely to identify changes that can be introduced, which will include improvements to the customer experience.

WALES

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office occupies two buildings, one in London and the other in Cardiff. The London building is owned by the Department, and we lease part of a privately owned building in Cardiff at a rental cost of £89,958 per annum. The rent for the Cardiff building is paid to Knight Frank, the managing agents for the landlord.

SCOTLAND

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with what bank his Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

David Mundell: All core Departments bank with the Government Banking Service (GBS). This ensures that balances held in these accounts are held within the Exchequer at the Bank of England. The GBS does not offer overdraft facilities.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the roll out of broadband in rural areas.

David Mundell: One of the first meetings the Secretary of State for Scotland had on coming into office was with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller). Officials in the Scotland Office are in regular and frequent contact with DCMS officials on broadband issues.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office’s building in Edinburgh is owned privately. In 2012-13, the Office paid £186,438 for the rent of the building. The Melville Crescent rent is paid to agents for the landlord, currently Ruthven Properties. The Scotland Office shares the buildings with other government bodies and recovers part of the rent from them.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider was, (b) purpose of the course was and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

David Mundell: In the last financial year, Scotland Office Ministers have not undertaken any training courses funded by the Scotland Office.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

David Mundell: In 2011, two people undertook work experience in the Scotland Office. In 2012 and 2013, one person undertook work experience in each year. All of these people were over the age of 16.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment has been sold by Afghan Disposals to date; what the original cost of that equipment was; and how much it was sold for.

Philip Dunne: When equipment and material is no longer required in Afghanistan, a decision is made on whether to gift, sell, destroy or redeploy the item. This decision is made with consideration to operational priority and value for money and is also dependant upon the type of equipment. The Ministry of Defence does not sell anything that could be deemed to be attractive to criminal or terrorist organisations or that would contravene international arms trafficking regulations.
	As at 31 December 2013, we have sold a wide range of equipment and de-militarised scrap in Afghanistan including Land Rovers, printer cartridges, gym equipment and scrap metal. The total value of equipment and de-militarised scrap sold to date is approximately £2.844 million—allowing for exchange rate fluctuations.
	I am unable to provide you with the original cost of these items as this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Army: Recruitment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the new IT system for army recruitment will be operational; and what contingency plans his Department has in place in the event that the project is delayed beyond that date.

Anna Soubry: As the Secretary of State for Defence informed the House on 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 716, the advanced IT system currently being developed with Capita is expected to be deployed in February 2015.
	We are continuing to successfully recruit regular and reserve soldiers using existing Ministry of Defence systems, which, although not designed for the new partnering arrangement, still enable us to process applications. Furthermore a range of initiatives are being put in place to make it progressively easier and quicker for an applicant to enlist. These include: the introduction in December 2013 of an updated Army recruitment website; and by the end of January 2014 a simplified on-line application form and more streamlined medical clearance processes.

Army: Recruitment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to take a decision on whether to pay Capita to build its own IT platform as part of the Recruiting Partnering Project.

Anna Soubry: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence concluded in principle in October 2013 that the long term IT solution lay in reverting to the Capita Information Communication Technology (ICT) hosting option. A decision in principle was taken on 8 January 2014 to invoke the Capita ICT option, subject to the normal contractual and approval process.

Army: Recruitment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what date the Recruiting Partnering Project was originally expected to be fully operational.

Anna Soubry: The original target date by which the Recruiting Partnering Project was expected to achieve full operating capability was summer 2013. We now expect the advanced IT system currently being developed by Capita to be deployed in February 2015.

AWE

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how cyber attacks or other malicious incidents involving information technology at the Atomic Weapons Establishment are categorised; and how many such incidents there were in each relevant category in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013.

Philip Dunne: The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) operates in accordance with Ministry of Defence (MOD) requirements in relation to cyber and other malicious IT incidents and statistics on numbers and categories of cyber attacks on the MOD are not published. This is because such information could enable individuals/entities to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting such attacks and enhance the ability of adversaries to conduct damage assessments on any attacks they might have conducted.

AWE

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for the A91 facility at Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston; what the currently calculated write-off costs for that facility are; what lessons learned review was conducted by his Department following the decision not to bring A91 into service; and if he will place a copy of any such review in the Library.

Philip Dunne: The A91 facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment was designed to house a Radioactive Liquid Effluent Treatment Plant (RALETP). The contract for the construction of the facility was originally let in the late 1970s and it was intended to become operational in 1991. Following the detection of corrosion, the works were formally rejected in 2000.
	The Ministry of Defence wrote off the costs of the facility over two financial years. In 2002-3 it wrote off £82 million in respect of the RALETP and in 2003-4 it wrote off £65 million for the A91 building itself.
	A final decision has yet to be made on the future of the A91 facility.
	A post project evaluation was conducted in 2004-5 from which a lessons learned report, dated May 2005 was produced. The key lessons learned were published by the Defence Select committee in 2006 and can be found at the following link:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmdfence/1293/129302.htm
	The full document will be considered for publication in the Library of the House, taking account of whether any information should be withheld, consistent with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

France

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a detailed account of the costs involved in providing French military forces with two C-17 transport vehicles.

Mark Francois: holding answer 6 January 2014
	The net marginal cost of the UK Ministry of Defence providing C-17 assistance to the French military forces was £217,000.

Navy: Greenock

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the sale of Royal Navy buildings in Greenock which were formerly occupied by the Coastguard; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The buildings were placed on the open market and negotiations are now taking place with potential purchasers.

Territorial Army: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in Cumbria joined the Territorial Army in each of the last five years.

Anna Soubry: The estimated number of people who have joined the Territorial Army in Cumbria in the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Cumbria Movements into TA Group A 
			 FY 2012-13 110 
			 FY 2013-14 to 31 December 2013 25 
			 1 Figures for Cumbria have been rounded to the nearest five to limit disclosure and ensure confidentiality. 2 All figures are provisional. 
		
	
	Information prior to April 2012 is not held in the format requested.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Children in Care

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities refuse access to housing to care leavers on the grounds that they are not originally from that local authority area.

Kris Hopkins: The Department does not hold this information.
	In December 2013 we published statutory guidance for local authorities to ensure that only those with a well-established residence and local associations qualify for tax-payer subsidised social housing.
	The guidance makes clear that we expect local authorities to make appropriate exceptions to take account of special circumstances, and refers specifically to the need to protect those care leavers who have been placed by their local authority outside their original district.
	We have already put in place protections for the armed forces through secondary legislation which ensure that they cannot be disqualified from social housing because of any local connection requirement.

Council Tax

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on local authorities increasing council tax by five pounds without a referendum in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

Brandon Lewis: In relation to 2014-15, I refer my hon. Friend to my written statement of 18 December 2013, Official Report, columns 101-4WS.
	We will set our proposals in a report to the House of Commons in due course, for subsequent approval by the House.
	In relation to 2015-16, decisions will be taken at the same point next year.

Council Tax

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that any proposed council tax increases are approved by residents.

Brandon Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to my written statement of 18 December 2013, Official Report, columns 101-4WS.
	We will set our proposals in a report to the House of Commons in due course, for subsequent approval by the House.

Council Tax

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to the public purse has been of the council tax grant in each financial year from 2011-12 to date; and what the estimated cost will be in each such year to 2015-16.

Brandon Lewis: The Government have offered a council tax freeze grant in every year of this Parliament, to local authorities which did not increase their council tax. The 2011-12 and 2013-14 grants are paid annually and have now been included in the local government settlement, the 2012-13 freeze grant was a one off grant for that financial year only. The funding for 2014-15 freeze grant scheme will be paid out in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
	The total value of each council tax freeze grant given to local authorities in England from 2011-12 to 2013-14 are presented in the following table. The figures for 2014-15 and 2015-16 grants are estimates which assume 100% take up.
	Thanks to the policy, council tax bills in England have fallen by 10% in real terms under this Government.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 
			 Council Tax Freeze scheme 2011-12 652 652 652 652 652 
			 Council Tax Freeze scheme 2012-13 0 597 0 0 0 
			 Council Tax Freeze scheme 2013-14 0 0 181 181 181 
			 Council Tax Freeze scheme 2014-15 0 0 0 269 269 
			 Council Tax Freeze scheme 2015-16 0 0 0 0 271 
			       
			 Annual total of council tax freeze grants 652 l,249 833 l,102 1,373

Council Tax

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by what percentage Band D council tax increased in (a) England and (b) Northamptonshire in (i) 1997-2010 and (ii) 2010 to date.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 17 January 2014
	Details of the total percentage increase and the average annual increase in Band D council tax for (a) England as a whole and (b) all the local authorities in Northamptonshire, from 1997-98 to 2010-11 and from 2010-11 to 2013-14, the latest figures available, are shown in the tables as follows:
	
		
			  £ Percentage 
			 Authority 1997-98 2010-11 Increase Average annual increase 
			 England 688 1,439 109.2 5.8 
			 Corby 97 180 86.6 4.9 
			 Daventry 73 188 158.4 7.6 
			 East Northamptonshire 101 188 85.9 4.9 
			 Kettering 99 207 109.1 5.8 
			 Northampton 115 224 95.1 5.3 
			 South Northamptonshire 121 227 88.3 5.0 
			 Wellingborough 20 148 642.0 16.7 
			 Northamptonshire county council 494 1,028 108.0 5.8 
			 Northamptonshire police authority 71 193 173.8 8.1 
		
	
	
		
			  £ Percentage 
			 Authority 2010-11 2013-14 Increase Average annual increase 
			 England 1,439 1,456 1.1 0.4 
			 Corby 180 181 0.6 0.2 
			 Daventry 188 194 3.1 1.0 
			 East Northamptonshire 188 206 9.7 3.1 
			 Kettering 207 211 1.8 0.6 
			 Northampton 224 227 1.6 0.5 
			 South Northamptonshire 227 239 5.2 1.7 
			 Wellingborough 148 148 0.1 0.0 
			 Northamptonshire county council 1,028 1,028 0.0 0.0 
			 Northamptonshire police authority 193 193 0.0 0.0 
		
	
	The data are collected annually from all billing and precepting authorities in England on the council tax return form. The information for the shire districts includes any parish precepts that were levied.
	Data for 2014-15 will be collected shortly and the figures published on the Department's website towards the end of March.
	Overall council tax bills in England have fallen by 10% in real terms under this Government, thanks to our council tax freeze policy.

Council Tax: Milton Keynes

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Band D council tax level set by Milton Keynes Council has been in each year since 1997.

Brandon Lewis: Details of the levels of band D council tax in all local authority areas in England, including Milton Keynes council, from 1997 to date, are available on the gov.uk website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-council-tax
	Under the last Administration, Milton Keynes council's council tax level (excluding parish precepts) rose by 99%—ie council tax doubled. Under this Government, so far, it has risen by just 2%—a fall in real terms.

Elections: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial assistance was given to Bassetlaw council for the (a) police commissioner elections in 2013, (b) Parliamentary elections in 2010 and (c) European elections in 2009.

Damian Green: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	(a) As set out in The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Local Returning Officers' and Police Area Returning Officers' Charges) Order 2012, the overall maximum recoverable amount (including both expenses and services) available, to the Returning Officer in Bassetlaw was £186,893. The Returning Officer's actual final settled claim was £159,869.33.
	(b) As set out in The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 2010, the overall maximum recoverable amount (including both expenses and services) available, via the Consolidated Fund, to the Returning Officer in Bassetlaw was £123,211. The Returning Officer's actual final settled claim was £99,045.
	(c) As set out in the European Parliamentary Elections (Local Returning Officers' Charges) (England, Wales and Gibraltar) Order 2009, the overall maximum recoverable amount (including both expenses and services) available, via the Consolidated Fund, to the Returning Officer in Bassetlaw was £144,366. The Returning Officer's actual final settled claim was £121,399.

Empty Property

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses have been unoccupied for over (a) five and (b) 10 years in (i) Ribble Valley constituency, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the UK.

Stephen Williams: holding answer 17 January 2014
	Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and in each local authority district are published in the Department's live table 615 which is available at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
	This table shows the annual number of long-term empty homes (all tenures), which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for over six months, at a specific date each year.
	The figures show that the number of long-term empty homes in England has fallen by over 40,800 from October 2010 to October 2012.
	Data are collected only at local authority district level and are not available by parliamentary constituency. Information on the time period (over the six month threshold) for which long-term empty homes have been unoccupied is not centrally collected. Statistics on vacant dwellings in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are published by the devolved Administrations.

Fires: Housing

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many household fires (a) in total and (b) per capita each fire authority in England dealt with in each year since 2008.

Brandon Lewis: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House. From 2008-09 to 2012-13, the total number of dwelling fires across England has fallen from 38,584 to 33,166.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my answer of 28 November 2013, Official Report, column 385-386W, which shows how the total number of fire and rescue incidents has almost halved (-46%) in the last 10 years, from 958,142 in 2002-03 to 519,907 in 2012-13.

Fracking

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Prime Minister's statement of 13 January 2014, on the ability of councils to keep business rates they collect from shale gas sites to provide an enhanced community benefit, what definition of community he was applying.

Brandon Lewis: The rates retention scheme allows business rates income in England to be retained by billing authorities (district councils, metropolitan councils and unitary authorities), county councils, fire and rescue authorities and the Greater London authority. We will consider how the 100% retention of business rates income on shale gas production sites will be shared among these authorities in an area which hosts a site and consult upon draft regulations prior to implementation from 1 April 2015.

Fracking

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much he estimates local authorities will gain from fracking revenues; and which local authorities will benefit.

Brandon Lewis: We estimate that business rates income from a typical shale gas production site could be worth up to £1.7 million a year.
	The rates retention scheme allows business rates income in England to be retained by billing authorities (district councils, metropolitan councils and unitary authorities), county councils, fire and rescue authorities and the Greater London Authority. We will consider how the 100% retention of business rates income on shale gas production sites will be shared among these authorities in an area which hosts a site and consult upon draft regulations prior to implementation from 1 April 2015.

Housing: Construction

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he has given on how housing site allocation numbers are to be expressed in local plans.

Nicholas Boles: The National Planning Policy Framework asks local authorities to prepare a Strategic Housing Market Assessment to assess their full housing needs. They should identify the scale and mix of housing and the range of tenures that the local population is likely to need over the plan period.
	Local authorities should also prepare a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment to establish realistic assumptions about the availability, suitability and the likely economic viability of land to meet the identified need for housing over the plan period.
	Local authorities should then use the evidence to inform their local plan which should contain a housing requirement that has taken account of any relevant constraints.
	The Government produced draft on-line planning practice guidance to support the framework in the summer. This includes new guidance on the assessment of housing needs and assessment of land availability.
	We intend that the national planning practice guidance web-based resource will go fully live following consideration of comments received during the test phase.

Local Government Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department holds information on the level of reserves held by each local authority.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 15 January 2014
	My Department collects data on the level of reserves held by individual local authorities as part of the Revenue Outturn data which are supplied by authorities each year.
	A copy of the information on the level of reserves held by individual authorities is available in the Library of the House.
	The latest statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing can also be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2012-to-2013-individual-local-authority-data-outturn

Local Government: Co-operation

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities currently share revenue and benefit services.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not monitor the arrangements that local authorities have in place to administer their revenue and benefit services as it is up to individual local authorities to decide how best to deliver their services. However the Local Government Association has developed a national map of shared services and this shows that there are at least 36 arrangements involving over 75 local authorities either currently in place or in the process of being developed. I have placed in the Library of the House a table listing the relevant partnerships identified using the available data.

Mortgages

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the effects of a rise in the base rate of interest on the number of homeowner mortgage defaults.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 13 January 2014
	In 2010 and 2012, my Department published the results of some economic modelling on repossessions and arrears. The research can be found online at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/modelling-and-forecasting-uk-mortgage-arrears-and-possessions-report
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/mortgage-arrears-and-possessions-forecasts
	The coalition Government's economic strategy to tackle the budget deficit left by the last Administration has ensured economic stability and growth, helping to keep interest rates low and reducing mortgage costs for home owners. By contrast, the policy alternative of more spending, more borrowing and more debt would result in higher interest rates and more repossessions.
	According to the Bank of England, the number of new mortgage arrears cases in the last quarter is the lowest number since its time series began in 2007 (Bank of England, Mortgage Lenders and Administrators Statistics, 10 December 2013). According to the Council for Mortgage Lenders, the number of repossessions is at its lowest level since 2007 and falling; it is also revising down its forecasts for 2014 (CML press release, 14 November 2013). Of course, prudent mortgage borrowers should plan and budget for the long-term, and recognise that interest rates do change over time.

Regulation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the title is of each regulation his Department (a) introduced and (b) revoked in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Boles: Details of the statutory instruments which have been enacted by Parliament are listed on:
	www.legislation.gov.uk
	Notwithstanding, statutory instruments should not necessarily be viewed as regulations—they are pieces of secondary legislation which may be deregulatory or which simply ensure that policy or functional measures have parliamentary scrutiny and oversight.
	In relation to regulations under the scope of ‘one in, one out’ or ‘one in, two out’, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, columns 616-8W. As I said in that answer however, that answer is not a comprehensive list of the red tape that my Department has abolished.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Cabinet Office Guidance for Customer Service Helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the right hon. Member to my answers to him of 15 April 2013, Official Report, column 224W and of 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 142W.

EDUCATION

Academies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to require the auditors of free schools and academies to report on which (a) services have been bought from, (b) fees have been paid to and (c) payments have been made to friends, relatives and business associates of school heads and governors.

Edward Timpson: The level of transparency and scrutiny is more rigorous and transparent in academies than in maintained schools.
	Under company law, academy trusts, including those operating free schools, have always been required to disclose transactions with related parties in their annual accounts, the accounts must be audited by an external auditor annually. The auditor is required to provide their opinion on the truth and fairness of the accounts, including the related party transactions note, and also to report on the regularity and propriety of income and expenditure. The academies financial handbook requires trusts to publish the accounts, including the auditors’ opinions, on their website, so details of related party transactions are transparent.
	The handbook also requires that trusts have a competitive purchasing policy and avoid conflicts of interest when entering into contracts and other business. Our no-profit policy also means that trusts can pay no more than cost for goods and services from individuals and organisations with which they have a significant relationship.

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with what bank his Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education uses the Government Banking Service (GBS). The GBS does not provide overdraft facilities.
	In addition to the main GBS bank accounts, the core Department has commercial bank accounts that are used to make payments and collect receipts. The Department does not have overdraft facilities on any commercial account.
	The Department did not incur any overdraft fees or charges during 2012-13.

Children in Care

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to narrow the gap between the educational achievement of children in care and other young people.

Edward Timpson: Narrowing the attainment gap between children in care and their peers is a Government priority. There is a range of work to address this:
	Children in care, who have been looked after for six months or more have attracted the pupil premium since 2011, currently worth £900. From 2014-15 we are increasing the funding attracted by children in care to a Pupil Premium Plus worth £1,900. We are extending eligibility to children from the first day of care, meaning 10,000 more looked after children will benefit, increasing the total funding from £40 million in 2013-14 to £100 million in 2014-15.
	We have raised the age of compulsory participation in education and training. As of last year young people are required to continue in education or training for a further year after the compulsory school leaving age. From June 2015 this will be until their 18th birthday. Children in care and those who recently left local authority care are entitled to a 16-19 Bursary worth £1,200 to help with the cost of participation. In addition, care leavers progressing to higher education should receive a higher education bursary of £2,000 from their corporate parent.
	Through the Children and Families Bill the Government will require all local authorities in England to appoint a virtual school head to champion the attainment of the children they look after as if they attended a single school. The 68% of looked after children who have some form of special educational need will also benefit from the reforms we are making through this Bill to improve the special educational needs framework.
	To raise awareness about the educational needs of children in care the Government is providing £100,000 in 2013-14 to the National College for Teaching and Leadership. This is to develop training materials for virtual school heads and include new material about children in care in its modular curriculum for school leaders and school governors.
	In addition, the Department has announced significant reforms to the secondary school accountability system. The current system has a perverse incentive that encourages schools to focus excessively on their pupils near the GCSE C/D grade borderline. By contrast, the new Progress 8 measure will encourage schools to focus equally on the achievements of all their children, including children in care.
	The Department is working with the Greater London Authority to scope a project thorough the London Schools Excellence Fund to support foster carers' engagement with schools and designated teachers to raise the attainment of children in care.

Children in Care

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2013, Official Report, columns 730-1W, on children in care, how many children's homes were run by (a) local authorities and (b) private or voluntary organisations in each region in each of the last five years.

Edward Timpson: Information on the number of children’s homes is published by Ofsted, the independent body responsible for the regulation and inspection of children’s homes. This is available online1.
	A table taken from this Ofsted publication, showing the number of children’s homes in each local authority has been placed in the House Libraries. This shows the number of homes in each local authority and whether they are provided by a local authority, private or voluntary organisation or a health authority. It is not possible for Ofsted to separate those run by a private or voluntary organisation. Information is currently available for the years 2009 to 2012.
	1 http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/official-statistics-childrens-social-care-providers-and-places

English Baccalaureate: Stourbridge

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils at each of the secondary schools in the Stourbridge constituency achieved A*-C grades in English Baccalaureate subjects (a) overall and (b) in each individual subject area in the academic year 2012-13.

David Laws: Data for the 2012-13 academic year will only be available once the Performance Tables1 are published at 9.30 am on 23 January. The requested information will be available in the underlying subject data2.
	1 http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/index.html
	2 http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download_ data.html

EU Law

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many EU directives his Department has transposed into UK law since 2010; and how many directly acting EU regulations have come into effect in his Department's area of responsibility in the same period.

Matthew Hancock: I refer my right hon. Friend to the replies given to the hon. Member for Harrow West (Mr Thomas) on 18 November 2013, Official Report, column 733W.

Further Education: VAT

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate has been made of the cost to the Exchequer of exempting sixth form colleges and further education colleges from VAT along the same lines as schools.

Matthew Hancock: We estimate that the cost of recompensing sixth form colleges for their VAT costs would be about £30 million per year. If we were also to recompense all other 16 to 19 institutions that are currently not able to claim back their VAT costs, which would include further education colleges, then we estimate that the cost would rise to about £150 million per year.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of per capita spending on primary school reception classes in (a) Birkenhead, (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and (c) England in each year since 2007-08.

David Laws: Per pupil funding figures in reception classes for Wirral local authority and the England average from financial years 2007 to 2013 are shown in the table. As Birkenhead lies within Wirral local authority, the per capita funding for pupils in reception classes is the same as for the wider authority area.
	
		
			 Per capita funding in reception classes 
			 £ 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Wirral 2,136 2,256 2,352 2,460 2,473 2,484 
			 England 2,295 2,374 2,454 2,564 2,670 2,731 
			 Notes: 1. Figures include age weighted funding allocated to reception pupils only. 2. The figures for England exclude local authorities with no comparable data in some years.

Schools: Defibrillators

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase the provision of automated external defibrillators in schools.

David Laws: We have placed an amendment in the Children and Families Bill to create a new duty on governing bodies of maintained schools (and proprietors of academies) to make arrangements to support pupils at school with medical conditions and to have regard to statutory guidance. The guidance is currently being developed in collaboration with members of the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance, schools and with parents and young people. We intend to consult on the draft guidance later this term.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2013, Official Report, columns 652-3W, on special educational needs, what measures his Department uses to identify best practice and value for money when collecting data.

Edward Timpson: Schools and local authorities are best placed to identify good practice and value for money in making provision for children with special educational needs (SEN), guided by the SEN Code of Practice and supported by Departmental initiatives such as the current pathfinder programme following the SEN and disability Green Paper.
	SEN data needs to be interpreted with care but indications of local authority good practice can be gained from information which the Department and others collect, such as the number of SEN appeals registered against each local authority, the percentage of SEN statements finalised within statutory time limits, the number of children identified with SEN and provided with SEN statements by local authority and the amount authorities spend on making special educational provision.
	The Department, each October under section 332C of the Education Act 1996, publishes an information report “Special Educational Needs: An analysis” which is designed to assist the Secretary of State for Education and others in improving the well-being of children in England with special educational needs.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2013, Official Report, columns 652-3W, on special educational needs, whether he holds any information on the numbers of First-tier Tribunal (Special Education Needs and Disability) appeals taking place in local authority areas across England.

Edward Timpson: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the work of tribunals under the First-tier Tribunal, including the Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability Tribunal.
	The data are available at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2013
	Tables 6 and 7 give the number of SEN appeal registrations by local authority.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the Cabinet Office Guidance for Customer Service Helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education stopped using 084 numbers for new helplines in 2007. We inherited from the previous Government three non-geographic telephone lines with the 0845 prefix, which charged callers at premium rates.
	Under this Government the Department now has just two 084 numbers in use and in both cases offers an 03 alternative, which costs no more than a national call to an 01 or 02 number and counts towards any inclusive minutes in a caller’s telephone contract. This is in compliance with recent Cabinet Office guidance. Both of these lines are being phased out. One of the 084 lines is due to cease completely on 31 January 2014 and the other on 31 March 2014, so the Department will have no 084 numbers in use by 1 April 2014.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Elizabeth Truss: Details about which training courses the Secretary of State for Education and Ministers in his Department have undertaken are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Youth Work

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what responsibility his Department has for the Youth Worker Workforce.

Edward Timpson: Responsibility for youth policy and delivery, including the youth worker work force, transferred to the Cabinet Office on 3 July 2013.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with what bank her Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Theresa Villiers: My Department does not hold an overdraft facility with any bank; therefore no fees or charges were payable in this regard in the last financial year.

Community Relations

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on building a shared future in Northern Ireland. [R]

Theresa Villiers: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 27 November 2013, Official Report, column 243, to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman).

Northern Ireland Government

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what input she plans to have to the Haass talks.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Belfast South (Dr McDonnell), on 9 September 2013.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Ministers in her Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider was, (b) purpose of the course was and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Theresa Villiers: Neither the Minister of State nor I have undertaken any training courses since assuming office.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with what bank his Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA holds its main bank account with the Government Banking Service. No fees or charges were incurred during the 2012-13 financial year in respect of bank overdrafts.

Dangerous Dogs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the Court of Appeal's judgment dated 20 December 2013 in relation to dangerous dogs, [2013] EWCA Crim 2396.

George Eustice: We have noted the Court of Appeal's decision in R v. Symieon Robinson-Pierre [2013] EWCA Crim 2396 which was based on the particular facts in the case, particularly the absence of a specific appropriate direction by the judge to the jury in the summing up in the original Crown court trial.

Flood Control

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has funded into the use of contour afforestation in water catchment areas of areas prone to flooding.

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA is not currently funding any research projects described as looking into the use of contour afforestation in water catchments prone to flooding. However, the Department and its delivery bodies do fund a variety of research and demonstration projects to understand the potential of non-structural methods of reducing flooding, including afforestation.

Flood Control

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contour afforestation programmes to alleviate flooding his Department has funded in each of the last three years.

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA has not has funded any programmes described as 'contour afforestation to alleviate flooding' in the last three years. However, DEFRA and its delivery bodies continue to fund a variety of research and demonstration projects to understand the potential of non-structural methods of reducing flooding including afforestation.

Flood Control

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the use of the use of contour afforestation to alleviate flooding.

Dan Rogerson: The Forestry Commission has contributed to various assessments of using woodland to alleviate flooding. In particular it joint funded a review called ‘Woodland for Water’ in 2011. The review highlighted how woodland creation could contribute to reducing flood risk as well as deliver other water and wider ecosystem benefits. This led to the development and use of national, regional and catchment “opportunity maps” to direct planting to where woodland would be most effective.

Flood Control

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial incentives are in place to encourage farmers to plant trees to alleviate flooding in water catchment areas of areas prone to flooding.

Dan Rogerson: The Forestry Commission offered grants to all landowners in England under the English Woodland Grant Scheme for the creation of new woodland. Applications for grants were assessed against eligibility criteria and priorities, and were processed on a first-come first-served basis. Within the scheme, additional funding, in the form of a Woodland for Water allowance was also provided in priority areas where woodland creation would deliver the greatest benefits in terms of managing flood risk and improving water quality.
	The Forestry Commission continues to process existing applications for woodland planting grants, although the scheme is now closed to existing applicants. If the level of funded planting falls below the annual rate set out in the existing Rural Development Programme, we will consider inviting further applications later in the 2014 planting season. This will be before the new Rural Development Programme comes into effect.
	DEFRA intends, as part of the new Rural Development Programme, to offer tree planting grants in 2015. This will be in advance of new environmental land management agreements, which come into effect in January 2016.

Flood Control: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department spent on flood defences in (a) North Swindon constituency and (b) Swindon Borough in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09, (iii) 2009-10, (iv) 2010-11, (v) 2011-12 and (vi) 2012-13; and how much funding his Department has allocated for flood defences in (A) North Swindon constituency and (B) Swindon Borough in (1) 2013-14, (2) 2014-15 and (3) 2015-16.

Dan Rogerson: Money spent by Environment Agency on flood defences between 2007 and 2013 was:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Cost Swindon borough Swindon constituency 
			 2007-08 130,000 130,000 70,000 
			 2008-09 209,000 209,000 109,000 
			 2009-10 123,000 123,000 73,000 
			 2010-11 115,000 115,000 65,000 
			 2011-12 1,215,000 1,215,000 1,165,000 
			 2012-13 2,115,000 2,115,000 2,065,000 
			 Total 3,907,000 3,907,000 3,547,000 
		
	
	Money allocated by Environment Agency for flood defences between 2014 and 20161 is:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Cost Swindon borough Swindon constituency 
			 2013-14 4,245,000 4,245,000 4,195,000 
			 2014-15 1,319,000 1,319,000 1,269,000 
			 2015-16 196,000 196,000 66,000 
			 Total 5,760,000 5,760,000 5,530,000 
		
	
	1 These figures refer to Swindon Borough Council's projects funded by a combination of FDGiA and local levy.

Local Government Finance: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will publish details of all funds allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon Borough Council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.

Dan Rogerson: The following figures show payments by core DEFRA to Swindon borough council:
	
		
			 Payments by core DEFRA to Swindon BC 
			  £ 
			 2010-11 142,243 
			 2011-12 3,000 
			 2012-13 53,500 
			 2013-14 (to end of December) 27,857 
		
	
	The following figures show payments by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to Swindon borough council:
	
		
			 Payments by the RPA to Swindon BC 
			  £ 
			 2010-11 51,812 
			 2011-12 67,861 
			 2012-13 46,271 
			 2013-14 (to end of December) 46,903 
		
	
	DEFRA's other four executive agencies did not make payments to this council. This does not cover any payments to the council by DEFRA's non-departmental public bodies or other arms-length bodies.

Nature Conservation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the Wildlife and Countryside Link report entitled Nature Check 2013, an analysis of the Government's natural environment commitments, published on 19 November 2013; and if he will make it his policy to accept the recommendations on (a) providing strong leadership and a clarity of purpose that will reverse the decline in wildlife and reconnect people with nature, (b) enabling the statutory nature conservation bodies to fulfil their critical role as champions of nature by (i) allowing them a voice in developing public policy consistent with their expertise, (ii) properly funding their functions and (iii) not imposing a growth duty and (c) enforcing the rules and regulations that protect our environmental public goods, whether domestic or European in origin; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: I welcome the engagement of Wildlife and Countryside Link members in the environment agenda. It is important that the Government and civil society organisations engage constructively, though accepting we will not always agree on every issue. Link's Nature Check report is a part of that ongoing dialogue. There are some areas of the report where we are in agreement, for example the historic reform of the common fisheries policy, though generally we believe that Nature Check does not give sufficient credit for progress that has been made.
	On point (a), we are showing strong leadership on the environment. For example, internationally, we played a leading role in reaching the important international biodiversity agreement at Nagoya in 2010 and are playing an important role on topics such as ivory, whaling and on illegal wildlife trafficking. In England, we have produced the first White Paper on the environment for 20 years and are making good progress on implementation, as well putting in place an ambitious Biodiversity Strategy for England.
	On point (b) I agree that our statutory nature conservation bodies have an important role to play. Natural England, as the key public body in this area, is already actively engaged with our policy development work as part of the DEFRA family. Its grant in aid, while necessarily reducing, is sufficient to enable it to continue to fulfil its statutory responsibilities and Government priorities. The proposed duty on non-economic regulators, to have regard to growth, will support growth without weakening environmental protection. It will be complementary to existing duties and will not override Natural England's general purpose under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.
	Finally, on point (c), DEFRA and its delivery bodies are committed to fair and proportionate enforcement of the regulations for which we are responsible. Interventions are risk-based, supporting generally compliant businesses and targeting serious and persistent offenders.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the Cabinet Office Guidance for Customer Service Helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA plan to complete the transition from 084 to 03 prefix non-geographic numbers by October 2014.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Dan Rogerson: Since the formation of the coalition Government in May 2010, Ministers have not undertaken any training courses paid for through the departmental budget.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 502W, on Bishop of Bath and Wells, what the cost is of the property which the Church Commissioners have purchased or propose to purchase for the purpose of accommodating the new Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Tony Baldry: The purchase on the new property has not yet completed. As a result the information relating to the purchase remains commercially sensitive, it would therefore be inappropriate to publish the price.

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 502W, on Bishop of Bath and Wells, what the address is of the property which the Church Commissioners have purchased or propose to purchase for the purpose of accommodating the new Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Tony Baldry: The Church Commissioners are in the process of purchasing the Old Rectory, Croscombe, Wells BA5 3QN.

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 502W, on Bishop of Bath and Wells, what consultation with the new Bishop of Bath and Wells was carried out prior to the decision to purchase new housing to accommodate him and his wife.

Tony Baldry: The new Bishop was made aware that the Commissioners were considering the Palace’s suitability as the Bath and Wells see house but he was not formally consulted, did not give a view and was not part of the decision-making.

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church Commissioners have for the future use of the flat in the Palace of the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Tony Baldry: The future use of the flat at the Palace in Wells is not yet decided.

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Very Reverend John Clarke, Dean of Wells, was present during meetings at which the suitability of the accommodation in the Bishop's Palace at Wells was discussed by the Church Commissioners.

Tony Baldry: The Dean, the Very Reverend John Clarke, was not present; he absented himself from discussions about the Palace at various relevant meetings of the Church Commissioners’ Bishoprics and Cathedrals Committee and the Board of Governors meetings.

TRANSPORT

A303

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the draft A303 feasibility study.

Robert Goodwill: The Department has committed to undertaking six feasibility studies as part of the process of identifying and funding solutions to tackle some of the most notorious and long-standing road hot spots in the country. The studies include work on the problems on the A303/A30/A358 corridor.
	As part of that process we committed to engage with stakeholders to develop and agree the detailed scope of the study. On 15 January I wrote to my hon. Friends whose constituencies, lie within the proposed geographic scope of the study, to set out a brief synopsis of our proposals for the study. The Department has put in place arrangements to discuss details of the proposed scope of the study work with relevant stakeholders during January and February. I will provide my hon. Friend with copies of the documentation sent to my hon. Friends.
	The Government expect to report back at autumn statement 2014 on progress to alleviate congestion and tackle the enduring problems in these areas.

Aviation: Emergencies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what occasions since May 2010 disaster planning arrangements have been initiated as a result of an aeroplane having difficulty landing at UK airports.

Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport maintains an Aviation Emergency Plan which sets out how it will respond to a perceived or actual aviation-related emergency. When it is aware that such an incident has taken or is likely to take place, the Department deploys this plan to provide detailed factual information for Transport Ministers and the wider Government emergency response network managed by the Cabinet Office. However, the Department has no record of this plan being deployed in relation to any incidents involving aircraft experiencing landing difficulties since May 2010.
	Procedures for responding directly to aviation-related emergencies at UK airports are the responsibility of airport operators in conjunction with local responders and the emergency services.
	Investigation of all aircraft accidents and serious incidents in the UK, or involving a UK registered aircraft, is undertaken by the Department for Transport's Air Accident Investigation Branch.
	The Civil Aviation Authority administers the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme which places a duty on organisations involved in the manufacture, operation and maintenance of commercial aircraft to report any incident which endangers or which, if not corrected, would endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person.

Aviation: Fares

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers he has to (a) monitor and (b) control the prices of flights to London from Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport.

Robert Goodwill: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monitors airfares to ensure they comply with the specific price transparency requirements set out in Article 23 of EC 1008/2008, the Air Services Regulation. Airlines are required to display airfares clearly and transparently and prices must be inclusive of all unavoidable and foreseeable taxes, fees, charges and surcharges at all times. There are a number of further requirements that relate to the way optional price supplements are presented and the breakdown of the airfare. The purpose of these requirements is to ensure consumers can compare the cost of flights effectively. The CAA has powers to enforce the requirements of Article 23 of the Air Services Regulation and has used these powers to ensure airlines display clear and transparent prices.
	The price of flights on London to Belfast routes is not subject to control or regulation. Airlines are free to set their own prices and these reflect the route specific demand and supply conditions; the choice of London origin and Belfast destination airport; the service offered by the airline and; underlying market factors. Consumers are able to select flights and prices that best suit their needs.

Bus Services: Disability

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has decided a way forward for audio visual technology on buses in accordance with Task 2 of Headline 2 of the Accessibility Action Plan.

Stephen Hammond: Our recent Accessibility Action Plan progress report, published on 24December 2013, included cost details for various audio/visual systems which confirmed that this technology currently comes at a considerable cost.
	My noble Friend, the Minister of State for Transport (Baroness Kramer), will therefore write to bus industry representatives shortly to encourage the development of more affordable audio-visual systems for buses and we will continue to work with bus industry stakeholders to identify the best solutions to improve access to the public transport system for all passengers.

Bus Services: Disability

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason buses are not required to have audio-visual announcements for accessibility in the same way as trains; and if he will make it his policy to introduce such a requirement.

Stephen Hammond: We recognise that many people find audio and visual announcements useful for travelling and understand the social benefits of having such systems on both trains and buses.
	The inclusion of audio/visual systems in the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations will ensure that all rail passengers will benefit from this technology by 2020. However, the deregulated bus industry outside London provides many more journeys, stops and vehicles than the rail sector while comprising a far greater number of operators. In light of this, we have not sought to make audio/visual systems mandatory on buses and have no plans to do so as the business case for bus operators has not been demonstrated and the Government are unwilling to impose financial burdens of this kind on the industry in the current financial climate.
	However, my noble Friend, the Minister of State will write to bus industry representatives shortly to encourage further development of more affordable audio/visual systems for buses, and we will continue to work with stakeholders to identify the best way to improve access to the public transport system for all passengers.

Bus Services: Visual Impairment

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to improve bus accessibility for blind and partially sighted people.

Stephen Hammond: On 13 December 2012, the Department for Transport published an Accessibility Action Plan, which seeks to address the challenges that remain in making public transport more accessible for all disabled passengers. This included a commitment to examine the cost of audio/visual technical options for buses and decide a way forward, which we have addressed in our Accessibility Action plan progress report, published in December 2013.
	In May 2011, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), wrote to the bus industry about increasing the uptake of audio visual systems and my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Transport (Baroness Kramer), will follow this up shortly by writing to bus industry representatives to encourage the development of more affordable audio-visual technology for buses.
	Finally, five local authorities (Bournemouth, Hampshire, Milton Keynes, York and the West Midlands ITA) are increasing the provision of audio-visual systems on buses in their local area with funding from the Department's £70 million 'Better Bus Area' fund.

Driving Tests

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Learn Direct will receive compensation following the legal challenge by Pearson Driving Assessments to the awarding of the theory test contract.

Stephen Hammond: The Pearson contract and the new contract with learndirect were the subject of confidential commercial arrangements set out in the answer of the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr Goodwill), of 26 November 2013, Official Report, column 190W, and respecting that confidentiality we cannot comment on whether or not learndirect will receive compensation.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether further changes will be made to the HS2 phase one environmental statement in the event of mistakes of fact being identified in that document.

Robert Goodwill: As set out in the European environmental impact assessment (EIA) directive, an environmental statement (ES) must set out the likely significant environmental effects of a scheme. In the event that further information is required for the HS2 phase one ES to meet these requirements, this supplementary environmental information will be provided under the procedure set out in Standing Order 224A.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what terms of reference were used by his Department in selecting a preferred candidate for the role of independent assessor with responsibility for reviewing contributions made to the Phase 1 HS2 Environmental Statement consultation.

Robert Goodwill: In accordance with standing orders the independent assessor was appointed by the House authorities and the Department had no role in the selection process for the assessor.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who has been chosen to act as independent assessor in respect of the current phase 1 HS2 environmental statement consultation; whether his Department chose the candidates to fulfil the role of independent assessor; and what compensation is payable to the independent assessor.

Robert Goodwill: Parliament appointed Golders Associates (UK) to be the independent assessor. The Department had no role in the choice of the independent assessor. Parliament has agreed the terms of the contract with the independent assessor, including compensation. The charges will be passed on to the Secretary of State for Transport in accordance with Standing Orders but we have not yet been informed of the total amount of that compensation.

Northern Rail

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the recent Request for Proposals to Northern Rail included an option for modern or refurbished electric rolling stock.

Stephen Hammond: The Request for Proposal (RfP) covers the first phase of the electrification which falls within the Direct Award period (April 2014 to February 2016). Northern has explored the market and submitted a proposal to operate these routes using electrified rolling stock. The type of rolling stock was for the operator to propose. This proposal is currently being reviewed by the Department. As part of the re-franchising (February 2016), it is expected that bidders will put forward (long term) proposals for the type of rolling stock they want to operate.

Railways: Franchises

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether specifications for the replacement of Northern and Transpennine franchises will require prospective operators to maintain or improve (a) station staffing levels and (b) ticket office provision and opening hours.

Stephen Hammond: The specifications for both the Northern and Transpennine rail franchises are still being developed and a public consultation will be carried out before they are finalised. We will be looking for a successful franchisee that ensures that staffing arrangements on the network provide a customer experience at least as good as it is today.

Railways: North West

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether additional electric rolling stock will be fully operational in passenger service in the North West before the December 2014 timetable change.

Stephen Hammond: Northern has submitted a proposal to the Department for the replacement of a number of diesel trains with electric trains starting the introduction of electric vehicles as part of the ongoing electrification programme in the north-west. The aim is to have the first electric vehicles in passenger services by December 2014. This proposal is currently being reviewed by the Department.

Rescue Services: Belfast

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unfilled coastguard vacancies there are at Belfast Coastguard station.

Stephen Hammond: There are currently no vacancies at Belfast Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

Rescue Services: North East

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to how many emergency incidents HM Coastguard responded in (a) the North East and (b) the Tees Valley in each year since 2008.

Stephen Hammond: Her Majesty's Coastguard is responsible for the co-ordination of civilian maritime Search and Rescue, and that function is managed by coastguards at Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres.
	The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Rolling Stock

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2014, Official Report, column 310W, on rolling stock, what the basis was of the conflicts of interest declared by Interfleet and Burges Salmon.

Stephen Hammond: In relation to the Thameslink Rolling Stock Programme, Interfleet notified the Department that it had contracted to provide technical assistance to Siemens in relation to gauging activities and simulations and the provision of Notified Body approval for the new Thameslink fleet. The Department has received assurances about strict adherence to project confidentiality rules being in place and was content that this did not represent a conflict of interest.
	In November 2013 Interfleet notified the Department that its Swedish arm, Interfleet Technology AB, had responded to a Siemens ITT for the provision of instrumented wheelsets for the Thameslink train to allow information to be recorded during test runs. It is understood that this contract has yet to be awarded. However if it was, the Department is satisfied that it would not represent a conflict of interest given that the firms operate as separate entities.
	Separately, one team within Burges Salmon provided legal advice to First Transpennine Express during the procurement of the new electric trains that it has recently begun operating, while another team provided legal advice to the Department. We were satisfied that all appropriate protections (including information barriers) were in place and that both teams' objectives were to obtain the best deal for their respective clients.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider was, (b) purpose of the course was and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Stephen Hammond: Media training was provided by Angela Coles for my noble Friend the Minister of State for Transport (Baroness Kramer) and the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr Goodwill), on 6 November 2013 and 21 October 2013 respectively. This was provided at a total cost of £1,907.40.
	No other Ministers currently in the Department have undertaken any training at a cost to the Department.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Stephen Hammond: The number of people (a) aged 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old that undertook work experience in his department is as follows:
	
		
			 DFT and agencies 
			  16 and under Over 16 
			 2010-11 1<5 50 
			 2011-12 11 314 
			 2012-13 12 267 
			 1 Totals below 5 have been shown as <5 to avoid individuals being identified.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients waited longer than four hours to be seen in accident and emergency departments in the first week of January in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: The following table shows the proportion of patients attending accident and emergency (A and E) departments (all types) who were transferred, admitted or discharged in over four hours. To ensure consistency, data are provided for the equivalent week in each year, which is the fortieth week of the year, for the last five years.
	
		
			 Proportion of people who attended A and E departments (all types) who were transferred, admitted or discharged in over four hours in week 40 for the last five years 
			  Week ending1 A and E performance standard (Percentage) Proportion of patients who were transferred, admitted or discharged in more than four hours from arrival at A and E (Percentage) 
			 2009-102 3 January 2010 98 3.2 
			 2010-113 2 January 2011 95 6.6 
			 2011-124 8 January 2012 95 5.3 
			 2012-13 6 January 2013 95 7.0 
			 2013-14 5 January 2014 95 5.7 
			 1 Data provided is for the fortieth week of the year. 2 Weekly data for 2009-10 are management information and are not publicly available. The official source of A and E performance data at this time was the Quarterly Monitoring Collection. 3 The official source of A and E performance weekly data for 2010-11 was the Quarterly Monitoring collection. 4 For 2011-12, week 40 ended on 8 January 2012. 
		
	
	It is helpful context to include Hospital Episode Statistics.
	There are three measures of waiting times in the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre hospital episode statistics for A and E. These are time to assessment; time to treatment; and time to departure. The information requested is shown in the following tables. Information for 2012-13 is not yet available.
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to assessment1 for attendances at A and E departments (all types) from April 2008 to March 2012 in England 
			  Mean (minutes) Median (minutes) 
			 2008-09 60.8 7 
			 2009-10 76.8 9 
			 2010-11 64.5 10 
			 2011-12 33.1 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and median duration to treatment2 for attendances at A and E departments (all types) from April 2008 to March 2012 in England 
			  Mean (minutes) Median (minutes) 
			 2008-09 115.6 55 
			 2009-10 102.0 55 
			 2010-11 98.4 58 
			 2011-12 75.4 52 
		
	
	
		
			 Mean and Median duration to departure3 for attendances at accident and emergency departments (all types) from April 2008 to March 2012 in England 
			  Mean (minutes) Median (minutes) 
			 2008-09 136.2 117 
			 2009-10 134.7 122 
			 2010-11 145.7 130 
			 2011-12 138.2 125 
			 1 Duration to assessment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients' arrival and their initial assessment in the A and E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A and E to the time when the patient is initially assessed. 2 Duration to treatment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients' arrival and the start of their treatment. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A and E to the time, when the patient began treatment. 3 Duration to departure: This is total amount of time spent in minutes in an A and E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A and E to the time when the patient is discharged from A and E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, dying in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged and referred to another specialist department. Note: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Ambulance Services: Radiation Exposure

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which ambulance trusts have hazardous area response team paramedics trained to deal with radiation contaminated casualties; and how many paramedics are identified under regulation 14(1) of the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 for each ambulance trust.

Jane Ellison: All English ambulance trusts have at least one hazardous area response team trained and equipped to deal with radiological incidents, as set out under 14(1) in the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001. There are 15 hazardous area response teams across all the 10 English ambulance trusts. There are 42 staff per hazardous area response team.

Antibiotics

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time that people use antibiotics; and if he will commission research into the effects on patients of overuse of antibiotics.

Jane Ellison: The management of the over-use of antibiotics is a key part of the Government's United Kingdom 5-Year antimicrobial resistance Strategy, which was published in September 2013. The over-use of antibiotics is linked to the increase in resistant organisms in human and animal health. One of the key aims of the Strategy is to preserve the effectiveness of existing treatments through responsible prescribing of antibiotics. This will build on existing work such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on the use of antibiotics. NICE's key therapeutic topics give advice on specific antibiotics, recommending three-day courses rather than longer five or 10-day courses.
	A cross-Government high level steering group, will oversee the implementation of the entire Strategy, including any research requirements on the effects of patients of the overuse of antibiotics. The National Institute for Health Research has issued a themed call for research into the evaluation of public health measures, health care interventions and health services, to reduce the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance and consequent morbidity.

Bexsero

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the draft Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation minutes of 2 October 2013, what assessment has been made of how many children would be ineligible for the Bexsero vaccine under the proposed formula.

Jane Ellison: At the meeting held on 2 October 2013, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation reviewed the impact and cost-effectiveness of the routine use of Bexsero in the United Kingdom, including assessments of the universal routine vaccination of infants and adolescents. Bexsero is indicated for active immunisation of individuals from two months of age and older, unless contraindicated. No estimate has been made of the number of children contraindicated to Bexsero.

Breast Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will take steps to promote the drinking of tomato juice to reduce the incidence of breast cancer.

Jane Ellison: The Government promote a diet visually depicted in the eatwell plate. The Government recommend people eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day. Each type of fruit and vegetables contain different nutrients and components and this variety is important for overall health and wellbeing.
	There is limited evidence on specific fruit and vegetables and disease reduction, including for tomato juice.

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve NHS treatment provision for patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Jane Ellison: NHS England is responsible for commissioning specialised services and improving NHS treatment provision for children and adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).
	NHS England's ‘Paediatric Medicine: Endocrinology and Diabetes’ service specification sets out how the service should ensure access to high-quality treatment for endocrine disorders in children, including CAH, across England. Treatments offered include medical and surgical management of endocrine disease, nutritional and psychological support for the child and their family, educational support and counselling about preparation for treatment and prognosis. Many children with endocrine disease have a life-long chronic disease and therefore contact with the paediatric endocrine service will be extensive.
	With regard to adults, NHS England's service specification for specialised endocrinological services, including CAH, makes it clear that one of the aims of the service is to provide and deliver access to high- quality medical and surgical treatment for patients with endocrinological conditions, including CAH, across England.
	Service specifications clearly set out what providers need to have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services.

Croydon University Hospital

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the future of accident and emergency services at Croydon University Hospital following the withdrawal of the Better Services, Better Value proposals.

Jane Ellison: The six south-west London clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are actively discussing the next steps for local health services following the withdrawal of Surrey Downs CCG from the Better Services, Better Value programme.
	With this in mind, no date has been confirmed by the local national health service for any future consultation on proposals.

Diabetes

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review his Department's guidance on the provision of insulin pumps on the NHS in light of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommendations on the use of pump therapy to treat Type 1 diabetes.

Jane Ellison: It is the responsibility of NHS England to ensure that commissioners and providers make insulin pumps available for those people with diabetes who meet the criteria recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
	Earlier this month, NHS England published ‘Action for Diabetes’ which sets out the steps it is taking to improve outcomes for people with and at risk of diabetes.

General Practitioners

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve access to GP services for vulnerable older people.

Jane Ellison: Improving general practitioner (GP) services for vulnerable older people is a key priority of the Government. Progress has been made in a number of ways.
	Changes have recently been announced for the 2014-15 GP contract, which states that all over-75s will have a named GP responsible for overseeing their care. In addition, patients with urgent enquiries will be able to access same-day telephone consultations and follow-up arrangements as necessary.
	The Prime Minister announced that a £50 million fund would be established for supporting access to general practice. As well as seven-day week access and evening opening hours, the pioneer GP groups will test a variety of forward thinking services.
	Finally, integration pioneers will be leading the way in exploring new models for providing seamless care for people in local areas. This work will complement the £3.8 billion Better Care Fund which will ensure pooled budgets are established between health and social care in every area to achieve better joined-up care.

Health

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of signatories to the Public Health Responsibility Deal with regard to pledges dealing with (a) construction and civil engineering industries, (b) domestic violence, (c) improving the health of young employees, (d) mental health and well-being, (e) staff health checks and (f) smoking cessation.

Jane Ellison: We would like to see as many organisations as possible signed up to all of the pledges that are relevant to them. We identify appropriate organisations and contact them directly to invite them to sign up. We also engage with potential partners through hosting external events, speaking at key business events, working with those who have a specific sectorial or special interest in the pledges and existing Responsibility Deal partners.
	Dame Carol Black, expert adviser on health at work to the Department, travels across the country promoting the deal through site visits, award ceremonies and events.
	The quarterly high-level network meetings consider strategies to promote sign up to the Responsibility Deal. We have sub groups set up on domestic violence, mental health and construction, and encourage members to be ambassadors and promote the deal. Each year, we host a Partnership Forum which is open to all our existing signatories and where we also encourage organisations to find out more and possibly sign up.

Health

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department as an employer has signed up to (a) the Public Health Responsibility Deal and (b) the sub-pledges regarding (i) construction and civil engineering industries, (ii) domestic violence, (iii) improving the health of young employees, (iv) mental health and well-being, (v) staff health checks and (f) smoking cessation.

Jane Ellison: Full details of the partners signed up to the Responsibility Deal and the pledges they have signed up to are available on the Responsibility Deal website:
	https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/partners/
	The Department has signed up to all the Health at Work network pledges apart from H.10 which is specific to the construction and civil engineering industries.

Health and Wellbeing Boards

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will encourage health and wellbeing boards to involve dental health professionals.

Norman Lamb: The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (the Act) established health and wellbeing boards as committees of local authorities. The Act also mandated the statutory core membership of boards to include a minimum of one local elected representative; a representative of each clinical commissioning group; a representative of the local Healthwatch organisation; the directors of adult social services, children's services, and public health.
	Beyond this statutory minimum membership, it is for local authorities and the board to shape their wider membership, which may well mean drawing on the expertise of members from the voluntary and community sector and the dental health profession. However, central Government maintain that these decisions are best left for local determination.
	Furthermore, membership of health and wellbeing boards will not be the only way to engage with the work of boards. We expect boards will want to ensure that they have wider mechanisms in place to draw on the expertise of other groups when developing their joint strategic needs assessments and joint health and wellbeing strategies.

Health Services: Older People

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that care is better co-ordinated for elderly people discharged from accident and emergency departments to prevent re-admissions.

Jane Ellison: Changes have recently been announced for the 2014-15 general practitioner (GP) contract which state that all over-75s will have a named GP responsible for overseeing their care. Through an enhanced service, GPs will also be asked to identify which of their patients may be at risk of readmission and take preventative actions.
	Named GPs will also ensure that, following discharge from hospital, vulnerable patients are contacted by an appropriate professional to arrange their on-going care in a co-ordinated way.
	We have also asked GPs to review emergency admissions from care and nursing homes to prevent unnecessary visits to accident and emergency.

Health Services: South East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current operational status of the Better Services, Better Value review in south-west London and Surrey is; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The six south-west London clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are actively discussing the next steps for local health services following the withdrawal of Surrey Downs CCG from the Better Services, Better Value programme.

Health Visitors

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress he has made against his target of increasing the number of health visitors by 50 per cent by 2015.

Daniel Poulter: The Government are committed to growing by April 2015, the health visitor work force by 4,200 and transforming health visiting services to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
	The latest health visiting work force data1 (for October 2013) show the total number of health visitors nationally is 9,770 full-time equivalents (FTEs).
	This is 1,678 more health visitors compared with the May 2010 baseline of 8,092 and equates to 40% of the 4,200 extra health visitors required by April 2015.
	1 Published on 21 January 2014 by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

Heart Diseases

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policy of recent research into genetic indicators of increased risk of heart attacks.

Jane Ellison: The cardiovascular disease outcomes Strategy, published in March 2013, recognised the need to improve the identification of individuals and families that may have inherited cardiac conditions. NHS England's national clinical director for heart disease is working with all relevant stakeholders to develop and spread good practice in relation to these conditions.

Human Papillomavirus

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make an estimate of the total number of cases of cervical, vaginal, vulval, penile, anal, head and neck cancers that would be prevented in each year in both (a) females and (b) males if the HPV vaccination programme was extended to boys;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total number of cases of genital warts prevented each year in (a) females and (b) males under the HPV vaccination programme;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the total number of cases of cervical, vaginal, vulval, penile, anal, head and neck cancers prevented each year in (a) females and (b) males by the current HPV vaccination programme;
	(4)  if he will make an estimate of the total number of cases of genital warts that would be prevented each year in (a) females and (b) males if the HPV vaccination programme was extended to boys.

Jane Ellison: Estimates of the potential impact of the HPV vaccination programme on cancer and warts have been previously published by Public Health England in the BMJ in 2011. A copy of this will be provided to the Library.
	The data estimate that in the United Kingdom, eventually, the HPV vaccine currently being used may be preventing around 630 to 1,100 cervical cancer cases a year and 380 to 950 cases of anal, vulvar and vaginal cancer a year. If the vaccine additionally protects against HPV 16/18 related penile and oropharyngeal cancers, the number of non-cervical cancers prevented could increase to 560 - 1,000 cases a year.
	The development of cancer typically takes many years following HPV infection: the impact of HPV vaccination on cancer cases will therefore take many years to be fully realised.
	A HPV subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has been established and will be considering a number of key issues around HPV vaccination, including the option of vaccinating men who have sex with men (MSM) and/or adolescent boys. The first meeting of the HPV subcommittee will be held early in 2014.
	PHE has begun preliminary modelling to assess the impact and cost-effectiveness of vaccinating men who have sex with men, in anticipation of further guidance on this when the HPV subcommittee meets. Further work to assess the impact and cost-effectiveness of vaccinating adolescent boys against HPV infection is also planned.

Human Papillomavirus: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people in Swindon have received the human papillomavirus vaccine since its introduction.

Jane Ellison: Since September 2008, more than 9,400 girls were reported from the area served by the former Swindon primary care trust to have received the completed course of three doses of human papillomavirus vaccine. This figure will be an under-estimate due to some girls receiving their vaccine after the data submission date.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policy of recent research published by the University of Adelaide indicating that children born after IVF treatment have a greater risk of complications.

Jane Ellison: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), in its role as the national regulator for the provision of IVF treatment services, regularly considers new research about the health impacts of IVF and related treatments such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The HFEA has advised that the study to which the hon. Member refers is scheduled for consideration by the authority's scientific and clinical advances advisory committee on 5 February. Papers considered by the committee and minutes of its meetings are published on the HFEA's website at:
	http://www.hfea.gov.uk/SCAAC.html
	The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, requires that patients are provided with full information about the nature of the treatment they are proposing to undergo, including any potential risks and possible side effects associated with the treatment.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the extent and adequacy of provision of in-vitro fertilisation in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning many healthcare services, including infertility services, to meet the requirements of their population. In doing so, CCGs need to ensure that the services they provide are fit for purpose, reflect the needs of the local people and are value for money.
	To support CCGs in their commissioning of infertility services, NHS England has issued a factsheet to them which sets out how CCGs should approach commissioning fertility services and take account of the revised National Institute for Health and Care Excellence fertility guideline.
	We do not assess the extent of in-vitro fertilisation provided in Peterborough centrally.

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 544W, on Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, what the membership of the meningococcal sub-committee was; and who was responsible for appointment to that committee.

Jane Ellison: The membership of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and its sub-committees, is published on the Government website at:
	www.gov.uk/government/policy-advisory-groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation
	The chairperson of a sub-committee is appointed by the Chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and membership of a sub-committee is agreed by the Chair of that sub-committee. At its last meeting, held on 13 July 2013, the membership of the meningococcal sub-committee consisted of
	Dr Andrew Riordan, Chair (Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation);
	Professor Andrew Pollard (University of Oxford);
	Professor David Goldblatt (University College London);
	Professor Mike Levin (Imperial College London);
	Dr Anthony Harnden (Oxford University and Morland House Surgery);
	Ms Anne McGowan (National Public Health Service for Wales); and
	Professor Matt Keeling (University of Warwick).

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has held with representatives of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation since 2 October 2013.

Jane Ellison: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not met representatives of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation since 2 October 2013.

Lung Cancer: Females

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his taking to reduce the incidence of lung cancer in women.

Jane Ellison: Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable death and illness in England and the primary cause of lung cancer. That is why the Government published “Healthy Lives Healthy People: a tobacco control plan for England” in 2011.
	The plan set out a number of commitments to reduce the take-up of smoking in young people, to support smokers to quit, and to protect everyone from the harms of second-hand smoke, as well as national ambitions to reduce smoking prevalence among adults, 15-year-olds and pregnant women by the end of 2015,
	Along with our partners in Public Health England, we are taking wide-ranging action to tackle risk factors for the prevention of diseases, including cancer, and addressing: tobacco use; obesity; unhealthy diets; physical inactivity; and harmful consumption of alcohol. Key elements of the work programme involve action at national level, including working with industry through the public health responsibility deal, alongside strengthening local action, promoting healthy choices, and giving appropriate information to support healthier lives through social marketing campaigns such as Change4Life.

Muscular Dystrophy

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to his letter to the right hon. Member for North Somerset of 15 May 2013, what the evidential basis is for the statement that (a) muscular dystrophy is caused by mitochondrial disease and (b) cases of muscular dystrophy could be prevented by new techniques which aim to prevent mitochondrial disorders;
	(2)  with reference to his letter to the right hon. Member for North Somerset of 15 May 2013, for what reason it was (a) stated that muscular dystrophy is caused by mitochondrial disease and (b) implied that cases of muscular dystrophy could be prevented by new techniques which aim to prevent mitochondrial disorders;
	(3)  with reference to his letter to the right hon. Member for North Somerset of 15 May 2013, what the evidential basis is for the statement that proposed new treatments to prevent mitochondrial disorders are not similar to cloning; and under what activities the Newcastle licence for pronuclear transfer (R0153) is covered.

Norman Lamb: Muscular dystrophies are a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and limit movement. There are a number of different causes including abnormalities of structural proteins, for example Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and mitochondrial abnormalities. Thus mitochondrial abnormalities can cause muscular dystrophy but there are many other causes. Much of the research to develop new techniques to prevent mitochondrial disease was funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Only those cases of muscular dystrophy caused by mitochondrial DNA abnormalities could be prevented by new techniques.
	Although a similar methodology is used, neither of the two techniques proposed to prevent transmission of serious mitochondrial disease is equivalent to reproductive cloning. Any children resulting from the use of these techniques would have arisen from fertilisation and be genetically unique, rather than a copy of an existing person. They would be the genetic child of the woman receiving treatment and her partner.
	The research licence R0153, “Mitochondrial DNA Disorders: Is there a way to prevent transmission?”, issued by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), expired on 31 August 2011. Since August 2011, research involving pronuclear transfer has been carried out under research licence R0152, “Pluripotency, reprogramming and mitochondrial biology during early human development”. The licence authorises the storage and keeping of human embryos, the use of donated embryos and the creation of embryos in vitro for use in the research. Summaries of the two projects can be found on the HFEA's website at:
	http://www.hfea.gov.uk/1564.html

NHS: Complaints

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what process (a) patients and (b) healthcare suppliers can make complaints about the decisions of NHS commissioners.

Daniel Poulter: There are a number of routes through which to make complaints concerning commissioners and decisions, depending on the type of complaint:
	a complaint under the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009;
	an appeal against a decision on an Individual Funding Request;
	a complaint to Monitor about failure to comply with legal obligations; or
	judicial review.
	The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 cover any function provided or commissioned by the NHS. A complaint may be made by a person who is affected, or likely to be affected, by the action, omission or decision of the body which is the subject of the complaint.
	Health care suppliers wishing to complain about the decisions of NHS commissioners can approach Monitor and request it considers whether their conduct is consistent with the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) Regulations (No. 2) 2013.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's 10 largest contracts let since the financial year 2010-11 are; what savings have been made in such contracts; what the level of overspend or underspend was in each such contract; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the performance of each supplier of such contract following the contract award. [Official Report, 26 February 2014, Vol. 576, c. 3-5MC.]

Daniel Poulter: The 10 largest contracts that have been let by the Department since the financial year 2010-11 are as follows:
	
		
			 Contract title Supplier Contract start date Contract end date Total contract value (£) 
			 ICT-IMS 3 Services ATOS 17 January 2012 17 January 2017 72,000,000 
			 NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre (CRNCC) University of Leeds 1 April 2010 31 March 2015 53,000,000 
			 Co-ordinating Centre for the UK Clinical Research Network (UKCRN) University of Leeds 1 April 2010 30 March 2015 41,000,000 
			 Contract for the supply and management of a buffer stock of medicines Restricted-Commercial 24 May 2010 29 April 2015 Restricted-Commercial 
			 Facilities Management plus other Allied Services EMCOR Facilities Services Ltd 1 September 2010 31 August 2017 42,000,000 
			 Centre for Workforce Intelligence Mouchel Management Consulting Ltd 1 October 2010 31 December 2014 25,000,000 
			 Contract for the supply and management of a buffer stock of medicines Restricted-Commercial 21 June 2010 20 June 2015 Restricted-Commercial 
			 Managed Service-Specialist Contractors and Interim Managers. Via DWP. (Cipher) CAPITA Resourcing Ltd 1 November 2011 2 December 2013 22,000,000 
			 Master Vendor Agreement-Admin and Clerical Staff Hays Specialist Recruitment Ltd 1 June 2011 30 November 2013 15,000,000 
			 National Dietary Nutrition Survey NATCEN 1 September 2012 31 December 2018 15,000,000 
		
	
	Savings have been accrued in these contracts but specific figures cannot be provided without disproportionate costs being incurred.
	Levels of overspend or underspend against these contracts are assumed to mean the comparison of an allocated annual internal budget to deliver the contract, with the actual annual contract expenditure. It is not possible to provide this information without disproportionate costs being incurred.
	Supplier performance is routinely monitored by individual departmental contract managers in accordance with the terms of each contract, and with reference to departmental and wider Government policies and best practices.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what new clinical evidence his Department has gathered since the publication of the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group report on stereotactic body radiotsherapy in 2011 on treating cancers of the prostate, head and neck, liver. spine and pancreas with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy;
	(2)  for what reason none of the recommendations of the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group report on clinical trials for stereotactic ablative radiotherapy published in 2011 have been implemented.

Jane Ellison: The National Radiotherapy Implementation Group (NRIG) report on stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), published in 2011, made a comprehensive assessment of the role and opportunities for SABR in cancer treatment. The guidance was intended to support commissioners, providers and clinicians to deliver SABR services locally.
	The report concluded that the evidence only supported the routine use of SABR in the treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer for patients who are unsuitable for surgery. With regard to other cancers, such as those of the prostate, head and neck, liver, spine and pancreas it recommended that treatment should only be commissioned within a clinical trial or on an individualised basis. However, the report added that SABR was an evolving treatment area and that those working within the field should review the latest literature to support their clinical practice.
	The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including cancer treatment. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made. The NIHR has not funded any clinical trials of SABR for cancer of the prostate, head and neck, liver, spine or pancreas since December 2010.
	Finally, since 1 April 2013 NHS England has been responsible for commissioning radiotherapy services, including SABR. Its commissioning policy statement on SABR, published April 2013, also concluded that the SABR treatment was only suitable for a small subset of patients with early non-small cell lung cancer. The policy will be reviewed in April 2014, at which time the radiotherapy clinical reference group will examine whether further evidence has come to light regarding the clinical and cost effectiveness of SABR in treating other cancers.

Secondment

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2013, Official Report, column 1010W, on secondments, which private companies supply NHS England with seconded staff.

Jane Ellison: NHS England has advised it has seconded staff from the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA), Deloitte and Microsoft.

Sexually Transmitted Infections: Young People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people under 18 years are registered with (a) chlamydia, (b) herpes, (c) gonorrhoea and (d) genital warts.

Jane Ellison: The table provides data on the number of acute (STI) sexually transmitted infection diagnoses in England for those aged under 18 years in 2012. Data may include data recording errors which have led to an incorrect date of birth being entered, cases where an infection has been transmitted that does not involve penetrative sex or other sexual activity, and cases involving child abuse. Follow-up is not conducted to correct data entry errors, incorrect years of birth, and other reporting errors, thus the numbers reported in these age groups may not reflect infections that were sexually acquired.
	With regard to children under 13 years of age, using the term “sexually transmitted infection” is problematic as it is very rare for children to be sexually active at this age. Moreover, recent research in which Public Health England has collaborated1 suggests that most routinely reported infections in under 11-year-olds were not acquired sexually; and of the few that may have been, sexual abuse was implicated.
	The Sexual Offences Act 2003 includes a clear framework of offences to protect children of all ages from sexual abuse. All penetrative sex with a child under 13 is automatically classified as rape. Government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010) makes it clear that cases involving under 13-year-olds who are having penetrative sex or are engaged in other intimate sexual activity are likely to involve significant harm to the child or children.
	Guidance for health professionals is that any case involving a child aged under 13 should be initially discussed with the child protection lead in the organisation. However, while the presumption is that the case should then be reported to children's social care and a strategy discussion held, ultimately the decision on whether or not to break confidentiality is a judgment for a health professional to make. This must be based on the facts of each case, in which the child's interests are the overriding consideration.
	1 Genital herpes in children under 11 years and investigations for sexual abuse. Reading R, Hughes G, Hill J, Debelle G. Arch Dis Child. 2011 Aug;96(8):752-7
	
		
			 Acute STI diagnoses reported in patients under 18 years of age in England, 2012 
			   Age (in years) 
			 Diagnosis Gender <13 13 14 15 16 17 Total 
			 Chlamydia Male <5 <20 77 333 1,260 2,791 4,479 
			  Female <30 <130 780 2,617 6,160 9,191 18,901 
			  Total 44 145 868 2,986 7,505 12,115 23,663 
			          
			 Gonorrhoea Male 0 0 <10 <30 82 212 322 
			  Female <5 <10 <50 <150 286 498 977 
			  Total <5 <10 46 167 368 711 1,300 
			          
			 Genital herpes Male 0 <5 <10 <20 36 97 152 
			  Female <10 <10 <40 <140 397 646 1,220 
			  Total <10 <20 39 142 433 743 1,372 
			          
			 Genital warts Male <10 <5 10 26 150 506 704 
			  Female <30 <10 55 314 842 1,704 2,944 
			  Total 32 9 65 340 992 2,210 3,648 
			          
			 Other acute STIs Male <5 <5 27 97 386 901 1,418 
			  Female <10 <20 84 243 634 1,130 2,113 
			  Total 8 21 111 340 1,020 2,031 3,531 
			          
			 All acute STIs Male 16 23 124 491 1,914 4,507 7,075 
			  Female 58 167 994 3,448 8,319 13,169 26,155 
			  Total 90 192 1,129 3,975 10,318 17,810 33,514 
			 Notes: 1. Information on treatment of STIs is not collected. Those with an STI diagnosis are assumed to have been treated in line with national guidelines. 2. Table values represent the number of diagnoses and not the number of individuals diagnosed with an acute STI. 3. Data from infants aged 0 were excluded as these were most probably due to mother to child transmission. 4. Small cell values between 1 and 4 have been anonymised (e.g. with “<5”) to prevent deductive disclosure. Where the anonymised cell can be deduced from the total it has been necessary to anonymise additional data from the same row/column. 5. Data total may include 'not known' gender. 6. Data for “other acute STIs' include chancroid, lymphogranuloma venerum, molluscum contagiosum, non-specific genital infection, pediculus pubis, scabies, syphilis and trichomoniasis. Molluscum contagiosum, pediculus pubis, and scabies are not exclusively transmitted by sexual contact. 7. Data with incorrect year of birth and other data entry errors may be included. Sources: 1. Genitourinary Medicine Clinic Activity Data-set (GUMCAD) 2. Chlamydia Activity Testing Data-set (CTAD)

Sugar

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce sugar in foodstuffs with the aim of reducing obesity levels and diagnosis of diabetes.

Jane Ellison: Our emphasis is on overall calorie reduction, of which sugar can form a part, which is key to tackling obesity and preventing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Thirty-eight businesses are currently signed up to the Responsibility Deal pledge to support and enable their customers to eat and drink fewer calories, including some of our biggest soft drinks manufacturers who are reducing calories and sugars in their drinks.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the Cabinet Office guidance for customer service helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Daniel Poulter: In July 2013 British Telecommunications (BT) confirmed that, whilst there are five non-geographical (084) numbers recorded as being in use by the Department, none of them generated any revenue. Of the five numbers, three were no longer in service and BT removed them from records. The other two related to an NHS Careers/Health visiting number and a Community Legal Aid number paid for by Legal Aid and changed to another 0845 number that is not the responsibility of the Department.

Tobacco: Packaging

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made in introducing plain packaging for tobacco products.

Jane Ellison: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 28 November 2013, Official Report, columns 24-25WS. Government amendments to the Children and Families Bill, which would provide powers to make regulations to introduce standardised tobacco packaging, if it is decided to proceed, were tabled on 16 December 2013 and will be debated in the House of Lords on 29 January 2014.

Tuberculosis

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve approaches to diagnosing latent tuberculosis in hard-to-reach groups.

Jane Ellison: The Department recognises the public health importance of tackling tuberculosis (TB), particularly in large metropolitan areas and amongst certain vulnerable groups.
	We recognise the contribution that latent TB makes to the overall TB disease burden, which is why the Department commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to produce a short clinical guidance on TB services for hard-to-reach groups, and makes recommendations on interferon immunological testing for diagnosing latent TB (published in March 2012).
	The Department is funding research projects on identifying latent TB in relation to the effectiveness of testing for latent TB and on the prognostic value of new blood tests that can predict active TB or latent TB.
	There is also a national strategy being developed by Public Health England in partnership with the Department, the national health service, local government and other key public and voluntary sector organisations to improve TB control in the United Kingdom. The strategy aims to strengthen TB control in every high-incidence area, and to ensure high standards of care everywhere, leading to a year-on-year decrease in incidence, a reduction in health inequalities associated with TB, and to contribute to the ultimate aim of eventual elimination of the disease. This will include a focus on improving TB case finding and treatment in hard-to-reach groups. The strategy will be published in March 2014.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Energy: Meters

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with (a) mobile network operators and (b) broadband companies on (i) coverage of mobile signal and broadband and (ii) communication requirements of smart meters in rural areas in Scotland.

Gregory Barker: Coverage of mobile signals and broadband provision is the responsibility of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which is working to bring high-speed broadband to rural areas and to improve mobile infrastructure through Broadband Delivery UK.
	The Department of Energy and Climate Change has responsibility for the smart metering implementation programme. As part of this the Department recently procured three regional contracts on behalf of energy suppliers and network operators to provide wide area communications to carry messages to and from smart electricity and gas meters.
	A range of bidders competed for these contracts including two mobile network operators, but no bidders offered solutions based on broadband technology. The contract for the north region of Great Britain, including Scotland, was awarded to Arqiva Smart Metering Ltd which has signed a contract with Smart DCC Ltd to implement a long range radio solution. Telefonica UK Ltd won the communications contracts for the centre and south regions offering a solution based primarily on cellular technology.
	Officials from the Department work closely with colleagues in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that our policies remained aligned.

Energy: Meters

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of households in England were pre-payment customers of energy in each year since 2007; and what proportion of such customers were fuel poor.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 20 January 2014
	The following tables show how many and what proportion of households in England were pre-payment customers of gas and electricity, in each year of data available since 2007, alongside what proportion of pre-payment customers were fuel poor under the low income high costs definition.
	
		
			 Gas 
			  Number of pre-payment households (thousand) Proportion of all households using pre-payment (%)1 Proportion of pre-payment households which are fuel poor (%) 
			 2007 2,196 11.7 20.7 
			 2008 2,249 12.0 21.9 
			 2009 2,272 12.1 23.0 
			 2010 2,310 12.3 22.9 
			 2011 2,452 12.8 19.0 
			 1Excludes households which do not use gas. 
		
	
	
		
			 Electricity 
			  Number of pre-payment households (thousand) Proportion of all households using pre-payment (%) Proportion of pre-payment households which are fuel poor (%) 
			 2007 2,914 13.6 19.7 
			 2008 2,932 13.7 21.1 
			 2009 3,013 14.0 22.2 
			 2010 3,054 14.1 21.9 
			 2011 3,186 14.5 18.6

Fracking

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number of jobs likely to be generated by shale gas extraction (a) in the next licensing round and (b) at peak production in the UK.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 20 January 2014
	On 17 December, we published for consultation an environmental report as part of the process of strategic environmental assessment for further oil and gas licensing onshore. On a high activity scenario, the report estimates that in respect of activity on new licences only, oil and gas activities carried out under a potential 14th licensing round might create 16,000 to 32,000 new full-time equivalent positions in the peak development phase, including direct, indirect and induced jobs.
	A substantial area of Great Britain, over 7,000 square miles, is already licensed for oil and gas activities.
	Existing oil and gas activities are not included in this estimate.

Housing: Insulation

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which local authority and obligated energy company partnerships planning to undertake solid-wall house insulation through the energy company obligation (ECO) that had been agreed in principle are now suspended or cancelled following changes to the configuration of the ECO.

Gregory Barker: The contractual arrangements between energy companies and local authorities (or other partners) in relation to delivery of the energy company obligation are a commercial matter between the parties involved.
	We are working with many local authorities through DECC's Green Deal Communities fund, which has been increased from £20 million to £80 million, to develop and support local energy efficiency projects including those where ECO support has been agreed or is envisaged.

Wind Power

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) on shore and (b) off shore wind turbines have been erected in the UK in each of the last five years.

Gregory Barker: The number of turbines that have become fully operational in each year from 2009 to 2013 (up to 30 November 2013) is as follows:
	
		
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 Offshore Turbines 103 130 51 309 279 
			 Onshore Turbines 259 292 274 652 507 
		
	
	This does not take into account turbines that may already have been erected but where the actual wind farm development is yet to complete construction and become operational. The numbers also relate only to schemes requiring planning permission; there are likely to be some additional small-scale permitted development turbines not included here. The data have been extracted from DECC's renewable energy planning database:
	https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/planning-database/

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with what bank her Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Helen Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, like all core departments, banks with the Government Banking Service (GBS). This ensures that balances held in these accounts are held within the Exchequer at the Bank of England. The GBS does not offer overdraft facilities. DCMS does not hold any other accounts.

Broadband

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that housing estates sited across council boundaries have access to uniform broadband speeds.

Edward Vaizey: The Government have a target of providing access to superfast broadband to 95% of premises by 2017. This coverage can be delivered through a range of technical solutions including fibre to the cabinet or fibre to the premises, each of which would deliver different speed capabilities to individual consumers. Consumers' experience is also affected by a number of factors in addition to the performance of the network provided in their area. These could include the type and installation of the equipment in their homes, distance of the property from an exchange or cabinet, and in-building wiring. Communications providers cannot guarantee the provision of uniform broadband speeds.
	In addition, where local areas cross local authority boundaries, there may be different commitments to improve broadband performance by the authorities concerned. Even where the authorities each have superfast broadband projects, they may have prioritised different areas for improvement. Consequently the pace of upgrade will not necessarily be the same in each local area.

Broadband

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the availability and speed of broadband in housing estates sited across council boundaries.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS does not have detailed information on broadband speeds within individual housing estates. However, DCMS is aware that the Cheswick estate which crosses the Bristol and South Gloucestershire boundary has different broadband provision in different parts of the estate. Broadband Delivery UK in DCMS is working with South Gloucestershire council on options for delivering superfast broadband provision to the remaining premises in this area where this is not currently available.

Package Holidays

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect of the Package Travel Regulations on the size of the packages market for inbound tourism.

Helen Grant: There has been no assessment of the effect of the Package Travel Regulations (SI 1992/3288) on the market for inbound tourism, as the regulations apply only to packages sold or offered for sale in the UK, and provide additional rights and protection for consumers in the UK. The Government are currently involved in negotiations reforming the package travel directive, which are intended to bring it up to date with changes and technological advances in the travel market.

Radio Frequencies

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect of an increase in the annual licence fee for the 900 and 1800 MHz spectrum on (a) the level of private sector infrastructure investment in the 4G mobile network and (b) the speed at which 4G services will be rolled out across the UK.

Edward Vaizey: The Government directed Ofcom in December 2010 to revise the fees paid for licences to use spectrum in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands following the auction of licences to use the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands so as to reflect full market value. The statutory instrument making this direction was accompanied by an impact assessment which is available at:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/3024/impacts
	The winners of the auction were announced on 20 February 2013 with the licences granted on 1 March 2013. On 10 October 2013 Ofcom published its proposals for revising these spectrum licence fees; the consultation closed 16 January. Ofcom will consider responses to its consultation carefully, including evidence submitted on the potential impacts of the proposed fees before coming to final decisions.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the Cabinet Office guidance for customer service helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when her Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Helen Grant: The Department fully complies with the guidance and does not use 084 numbers on any of its customer helplines.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Ministers in her Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Helen Grant: No Ministers in the Department undertook training in this financial year.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in her Department in each of the last three years.

Helen Grant: DCMS, which includes the Government Equalities Office, does not hold records of informal work experience placements which employees may arrange. The Department did take part in the Cabinet Office organised social mobility foundation placements for 16/17-year-olds for the last two years. As the number involved is so few I cannot release the figures in accordance with established data protection principles.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Attorney-General with what bank the Law Officers' Departments' bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Oliver Heald: All of the Law Officers' Departments hold bank accounts with the Government Banking Service (GBS). This ensures that balances held in these accounts are held within the Exchequer at the Bank of England. The GBS does not offer any overdraft facilities.
	The CPS also holds a single account with one commercial bank, Lloyd's Bank plc. No overdraft charges were paid on this account in 2012-13.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many complaints were made against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in (a) 2013 and (b) each of the previous five years; and for each year how many complaints related to (i) CPS legal decision-making, (ii) non-legal decision-making and (iii) both legal and non-legal decision-making.

Oliver Heald: The following table shows the number of complaints recorded by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2013-14 and each of the previous five years; and since 2010-11, the number of recorded complaints about the CPS legal decision making, non-legal decision making and mixed (legal and non-legal). Data for 2009-10 and 2008-09 are not available in the requested format.
	
		
			  Not recorded Legal Decision Making Mixed (Legal and Non Legal Decision Making) Non Legal Decision Making Total 
			 2008-09 — — — — 3,540 
			 2009-10 — — — — 4,535 
			 2010-11 247 1,068 199 187 1,701 
			 2011-12 83 1,141 313 313 1,850 
			 2012-13 63 1,114 258 307 1,742 
			 2013-141 99 789 250 238 1,376 
			 1 1 April 2013 to 16 January 2014 Notes: 1. Prior to April 2010 the CPS maintained a record of the timeliness of responses to complaints, and the figures for 2008-09 and 2009-10 given in the table are taken from this source and represent all letters of complaint received and replied to by the CPS. 2. In April 2010 the CPS launched their Feedback and Complaints Procedure. Prior to this date any expression of dissatisfaction with the CPS was recorded as a complaint. Under the current Feedback and Complaints Procedure, only correspondence from individuals (or their representative) directly associated with a case are considered and recorded as a complaint. Expressions of dissatisfaction from people not directly associated with a case continue to be monitored but are classified and recorded as feedback. 3. The CPS complaints data does not include cases reviewed under the Victim's Right to Review (VRR), which are recorded on separate system. 4. The CPS collects this data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. 5. The CPS does not collect data which constitutes official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. 6. The data since April 2010 has been drawn from the CPS's Feedback and Complaints KIM site, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. 7. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the CPS.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many complaints about the Crown Prosecution Service were referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman in (a) 2013 and (b) each of the previous five years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service does not collate the requested information. Requests for details of complaints referred to the parliamentary and health ombudsman should be made directly with the ombudsman.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many complaints about (a) Crown Prosecution Service legal decision-making, (b) non-legal decision-making and (c) legal and non-legal decision-making were upheld either wholly or in part in 2013 and each of the previous five years.

Oliver Heald: The following tables show the number of finalised complaints about the Crown Prosecution Service (a) legal decision making, (b) non-legal decision making and (c) mixed (legal and non-legal) by outcome since 2010-11. Data for 2009-10 and 2008-09 are not available in the requested format.
	
		
			 2010-11 
			  Resolution  
			 Complaint Type Not Upheld Part Upheld Upheld Withdrawn Total 
			 Legal Decision Making 801 62 83 16 962 
			 Mixed (Legal and Non Legal Decision Making) 121 34 20 4 179 
			 Non Legal Decision Making 94 28 27 7 156 
			 Total 1,016 124 130 27 1,297 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 
			  Resolution  
			 Complaint Type Not Upheld Part Upheld Upheld Withdrawn Total 
			 Legal Decision Making 707 81 78 20 886 
			 Mixed (Legal and Non Legal Decision Making) 162 43 30 7 242 
			 Non Legal Decision Making 114 40 42 5 201 
			 Total 983 164 150 32 1,329 
		
	
	
		
			 2012-13 
			  Resolution  
			 Complaint Type Not Upheld Part Upheld Upheld Withdrawn Total 
			 Legal Decision Making 796 73 87 9 965 
			 Mixed (Legal and Non Legal Decision Making) 161 37 13  211 
			 Non Legal Decision Making 138 37 40 4 219 
			 Total 1,095 147 140 13 1,395 
		
	
	
		
			 2013-141 
			  Resolution  
			 Complaint Type Not Upheld Part Upheld Upheld Withdrawn Total 
			 Legal Decision Making 501 48 78 9 636 
			 Mixed (Legal and Non Legal Decision Making) 128 34 27 3 192 
			 Non Legal Decision Making 123 13 24 3 163 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 752 95 129 15 991 
			 1 April 2013 to 15 January 2014. Notes: 1. The CPS complaints data are available through a dedicated KIM site. 2. The data relates to the number of finalised CPS complaints which reached at least stage 1 of the CPS Feedback and Complaints procedure or were recorded as withdrawn in each year. 3. The CPS complaints data does not include cases reviewed under the Victim's Right to Review (VRR), which are recorded on separate system. 4. The CPS collects this data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. 5. The CPS does not collect data which constitutes official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. 6. The data has been drawn from the CPS's Feedback and Complaints KIM site, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. 7. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the CPS.

Early Guilty Plea Scheme

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how many violence against the person cases were resolved by the Early Guilty Plea scheme in 2013; and on how many occasions during that year charges of (a) grievous bodily harm and (b) malicious wounding were left to lie on the file;
	(2)  how many cases of people charged with fraud and forgery offences were resolved by the Early Guilty Plea scheme in 2013; and on how many occasions during that year charges of fraud were left to lie on the file;
	(3)  how many sexual offences cases were resolved by the Early Guilty Plea scheme in 2013; and on how many occasions during that year charges of (a) rape and (b) sexual assault by penetration were left to lie on the file.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has not previously had a facility to disaggregate the Early Guilty Plea data by principal offence category. A new automated process has now been developed and data will be published once the accuracy and reliability of the data has been established.
	The data will not disaggregate the outcome of individual offences but will provide data on the principal offence category.

Early Guilty Plea Scheme

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of people charged with burglary were resolved by the Early Guilty Plea scheme in 2013; and on how many occasions during that year charges of (a) aggravated burglary and (b) burglary were left to lie on the file.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has not previously had a facility to disaggregate the Early Guilty Plea data by principal offence category. A new automated process has now been developed and data will be published once the accuracy and reliability of the data has been established.
	The data will not disaggregate the outcome of individual offences but will provide data on the principal offence category.

Serious Fraud Office

John Spellar: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2014, Official Report, column 428W, on the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), what responses the Director of the SFO has received to his letters.

Oliver Heald: The director received one letter asking for clarification, which was given. There has been no other correspondence received and no payments have been returned.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Attorney-General which Ministers in the Law Officers' Departments have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Oliver Heald: Ministers in the Attorney-General's Office have not attended any training courses incurring expenditure from the public purse since the general election in 2010. There are no Ministers in the other Law Officers' Departments. As barristers, the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General are of course subject to requirements set out by the Bar Standards Board as to their continuing professional development.

CABINET OFFICE

British American Tobacco

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations the Minister without Portfolio, the right hon. Member for Rushcliffe, (Mr Clarke) received from representatives of British American Tobacco; and how many meetings he has held with such representatives since May 2010.

Kenneth Clarke: I have not received any representations from British American Tobacco. I have had no meetings on policy with anyone representing British American Tobacco.

Defence: Procurement

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 10 November 2011, Official Report, column 454W, on defence: procurement, whether he now plans to lift the temporary exemption from publication for Ministry of Defence contracts associated with warlike stores; what steps he has taken to keep the European Commission informed of progress towards lifting that exemption; and what arrangements he has made to make Ministry of Defence contract information more transparent.

Nick Hurd: There are no plans to lift the temporary exemption from publication for Ministry of Defence contracts associated with warlike stores during the life of this Parliament.
	As part of the Government's transparency programme, the Ministry of Defence is required to publish details of non-exempt contracts above the value of £10,000 on Contracts Finder:
	https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

Government Departments: Redundancy Pay

John Woodcock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many redundancy payments were made to employees of central Government Departments in each of the last three years; and what the total expenditure on redundancy payments was in each such year.

Francis Maude: The information requested is not held centrally. Individual Departments meet the costs of redundancies and report the relevant information in their resource accounts each year.
	The Government reformed the civil service compensation scheme in 2010 so that it was fairer for the taxpayer, did not create perverse incentives for civil servants, supported increasing efficiency in the workforce, and reduced costs.

Lords Lieutenant

Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  to what extent Vice Lords Lieutenant are required to be politically neutral; and what guidance on political objectivity is to given to them;
	(2)  whether Vice Lords Lieutenant are prohibited from making donations to political parties.

Greg Clark: Vice Lord-Lieutenants are not prohibited from national political activity but should not be politically active at a local level. The guidance issued to Lords Lieutenant is that vice Lords Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenants should regard their appointments as non-political and carry out their roles accordingly.
	Vice Lords Lieutenant are not prohibited from making donations to political parties.

Public Sector: Employment

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps the Government are taking to relocate public sector jobs to areas of England with low rates of gross value added.

Francis Maude: Work force planning is the responsibility of each individual Department to determine. The information requested is not held centrally.

Public Sector: Fraud

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 507W, on public sector: fraud, if he will provide details of the various data-sharing projects across Government and the wider public sector that seek to access and share data in support of operational delivery, developing public services and improving efficiency; and if he will indicate how the work of each such project specifically relates to fraud.

Francis Maude: Departments and groups should be approached for details on what data-sharing projects they have and how they specifically relate to fraud.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was;
	(2)  which Ministers in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was;
	(3)  which Ministers in No. 10 Downing Street have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider was, (b) purpose of the course was and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Oliver Letwin: The Prime Minister's Office and Deputy Prime Minister's Office are an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The Government are keen for both Ministers and officials to increase their knowledge of and interest in China. To support my work on a range of China-related policies ranging from encouraging inward investment to improving the UK visa regime, as well as my discussions with the Chinese authorities, I am having lessons in Mandarin at a cost of £45 plus VAT per session, from the recommended FCO language provider, Language Services Direct. I am reimbursing the Cabinet Office for these costs myself.
	I also attended a dementia awareness session organised by Dementia Friends.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with what bank his Department’s bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Michael Penning: The Department’s core bank account is held with the Government Banking Service (GBS); the account has no overdraft facility, as such no fees or charges were payable in respect of bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Employment and Support Allowance

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2014, Official Report, column 447W, on employment and support allowance, if his Department will collect data on mandatory reconsiderations of employment and support allowance.

Michael Penning: Yes, while individual level data on mandatory reconsiderations of ESA are not available, the Department is collecting process information, such as volumes and durations, to understand how the reforms are operating. It will, however, be some time until this information is available due to the time taken to go through the process from mandatory reconsideration to appeal outcome.

Housing Benefit: Portsmouth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Portsmouth South constituency under the age of 25 years old are recipients of housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Housing Benefit recipients aged under 25 years old: August 2013 
			 Parliamentary constituency Total 
			 Portsmouth South 937 
			 Note: This information is published and can be found at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm Source: Stat-Xplore, Department for Work and Pensions.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 522W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, whether his Department will cover the cost of reimbursing claimants who wrongfully had their housing benefit reduced; and whether local authorities will be reimbursed for the additional costs associated with administering the correction of the mistake.

Esther McVey: The guidance issued by the Department to local authorities sets out the action they should take and advises that affected cases should be reimbursed.
	Any housing benefit paid out by a local authority in accordance with this guidance will be treated as correctly paid for subsidy purposes.
	The Department is currently considering any new burdens on local authorities.

Jobcentre Plus: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) adults and (b) people aged 16 to 24 years old have been helped to find employment by Swindon Jobcentre Plus in each of the last three years.

Esther McVey: Every claimant is supported by their local jobcentre to find work. In the last three years the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance in Swindon has fallen by more than 800, or 18%. A breakdown of the figures is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Number of JSA claimants in Swindon 
			 Number 
			 November Aged 18 to 241 Aged 25+ 
			 2010 1,200 3,360 
			 2011 1,630 3,565 
			 2012 1,340 3,180 
			 2013 1,015 2,740 
			 116 and 17-year-olds do not have routine access to JSA. 
		
	
	Claimants are not required to tell us their reason for leaving JSA so it is not possible to say exactly how many move into employment each year. The 2011 Destinations Survey showed that, nationally, 68% move into work.

Jobseeker's Allowance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the effect of the rules limiting claimants of jobseeker's allowance taking up training on a part-time basis of less than 16 hours per week on levels of participation in training programmes in those constituent parts of the UK where the youth unemployment rate exceeds 7%.

Esther McVey: We do not currently hold any data on the impact of the 16-hour rule on the participation in training by young people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) at a national or regional level. The Department does not have any current plans to undertake research into this area.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average processing time for personal independence payments applications was in the last year;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of personal independence payment applications that took more than (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) three months, (d) four months, (e) five months and (f) six months to process to completion in the last year.

Michael Penning: Personal independence payment started from April 2013 and although limited data have started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high-quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with (a) individuals and (b) groups on personal independence payments.

Michael Penning: We have extensively engaged and consulted with disabled people and their organisations in an open and transparent manner throughout the design, development and implementation of personal independence payment (PIP). The assessment criteria for PIP were developed in collaboration with independent specialists in health, social care and disability, including disabled people.
	We have carried out extensive engagement throughout the progress of the Welfare Reform Act 2012—including two formal consultations last year, on the assessment criteria and on the detailed benefit rules, and a formal consultation this year on the ‘Moving around’ activity of the mobility component. During the consultations officials met with more than 60 organisations and held 26 consultation meetings with external organisations including Equality 2025, Disability Benefits Consortium, Disability Rights UK and the PIP Implementation Stakeholder Forum.
	We are continuing to work closely with disabled people and their organisations, such as Citizens Advice and Macmillan.
	Also, I personally meet organisations of and for disabled people regularly, to discuss issues relating to my portfolio.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's 10 largest contracts let since the financial year 2010-11 are; what savings have been made in such contracts; what the level of overspend or underspend was in each such contract; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the performance of each supplier of such contract following the contract award.

Michael Penning: The 10 largest contracts let since 2010-11 are as follows:
	
		
			 Unique identifier Contract name Current value of contract (£) Supplier 
			 UI_DWP_100121 Desktop Services (Desktop 21) 318,500,000 HP Enterprise Services UK Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_100429 Personal Independence Payment (PIP)-Assessment Service (Lot 1) 206,703,507 Atos IT Services UK Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_100431 Personal Independence Payment (PIP)-Assessment Service (Lot 3) 183,894,556 Atos IT Services UK Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_003773 Work Programme-CPA08 171,315,070 Working Links (Employment) Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_003772 Work Programme-CPA08 147,142,668 Ingeus UK Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_003757 Work Programme-CPA02 121,727,394 A4eLtd 
			 UI_DWP_100430 Personal Independence Payment (PIP)-Assessment Service (Lot 2) 121,614,325 Capita Business Services Ltd 
			 Ul_DWP_003755 Work Programme-CPA 01 120,194,433 Ingeus UK Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_003758 Work Programme-CPA02 119,003,802 Ingeus UK Ltd 
			 UI_DWP_003767 Work Programme-CPA06 117,982,249 A4e Ltd 
		
	
	The savings made for the Desktop Services contract are £35,742,623 to December 2013. In respect of the personal independence payments, contracts service delivery commenced in the PIP contracts in June 2013 and is due to continue until July 2017. As the assessment providers are still in the early stages of delivering these contracts, it is too early to realise savings. The savings made for Work programme contracts commenced in the procurement process and, as a consequence of the payment-by-results model continue in live running.
	The level of overspend/underspend in respect of Desktop Services contract will not be available until the end of contract term. Service delivery commenced in the PIP contracts in June 2013 and is due to continue until July 2017. As the assessment providers are still in the early stages of delivering these contracts, it is too early to give a view of the likelihood of under or overspending against them. The Work programme contracts are payment by result, and therefore over or underspend is not an issue.
	Desktop Services contract obligations are monitored on a monthly basis to ensure conformance in line with the contract; additional/new obligations not yet fully implemented are monitored separately but also on a monthly basis; monthly feedback on performance is sought from internal groups; all obligations are discussed regularly with the supplier and plans are implemented to address obligations that have a red or amber status.
	For PIP contracts the Department has monthly performance meetings with both Atos and Capita and manages the performance of the suppliers against a range of service level agreements. These service level agreements are recorded within the contracts published on Contracts Finder.
	With regard to Work programme contracts, monthly performance management information is used to support regular performance assessment meetings with contractors. Work programme providers are paid on a performance basis, and measurements in respect of levels of spending are not a relevant contract measure.

Secondment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were seconded from the private sector to his Department in each of the last six years.

Michael Penning: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral answer of 13 January 2014, Official Report, columns 566-7W, on benefit cap, what research he (a) is carrying out and (b) proposes to carry out on the consequences of the benefit cap; and who has been or will be commissioned to conduct this research.

Esther McVey: The full scope of the benefit cap evaluation is yet to be finalised but is expected to include work with claimants, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations as well as analysis of administrative data.
	In addition to the polling conducted by Ipsos-MORI, published 10 October 2013, found here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-cap-public-attitudes-before-and-after-its-introduction
	we are:
	(a) Gathering the views of the benefit cap by local authorities and voluntary sector organisations. This is currently underway and is being conducted—by Ipsos-MORI and the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research—jointly with work on removal of the spare room subsidy.
	(b) There are also plans for the Institute for Fiscal Studies to advise us on methods used to assess the net impact of the policy and for surveys of capped claimants.
	In addition we already publish regular Official Statistics on numbers of capped households, available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-cap-statistics

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any benefit claimants have been subject to benefit sanctions while on a training course authorised by his Department.

Esther McVey: People on benefits eligible for fully funded training still have to fulfil the conditions for receiving their benefit. Claimants can be sanctioned as a result of their failure to comply with the conditions as laid out in the regulations.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those found to be committing benefit fraud and not prosecuted in court in each of the last five years (a) have repaid monies due in full, (b) are actively making repayments, (c) are in arrears with their repayments and (d) have been prosecuted for breaching their agreement to pay.

Esther McVey: The information is not available in the format requested. The data are not separately available for each year. The information detailed in the following table relates only to the proportion of administrative penalties applied in lieu of prosecution and the overall position regarding repayment of those penalties. It is not possible to separately identify cases where the debtor has only received a caution.
	
		
			 Administrative penalties: 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2013 
			  Percentage 
			 Recovered in full 85 
			 Actively making repayments 10 
			 Are in arrears with repayments 6 
			 Prosecuted for breaching agreement to pay n/a 
			 n/a = Not available. Source: Data Source: Debt Accounting. This does not form official statistics but is derived from Management Information. The excess 1% is due to roundings. 
		
	
	In those cases where the penalty has been repaid the debtor may still be repaying the underlying fraud overpayment.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when Mr Wetherick of Christchurch will receive a decision from the Atos Medical Service Centre in Bristol as to whether he needs a medical assessment following the referral of his case by his Department on 16 May 2013; and when he expects Mr Wetherick's benefit application to be resolved.

Michael Penning: The Department cannot respond to the House of Commons with regards to a specific case.
	The Department will respond to my hon. Friend direct.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Cabinet Office guidance for customer service helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

Esther McVey: DWP will start to introduce most 03 numbers to our existing 0845 helplines during March 2014. This dual number approach will allow the caller to make a choice on which number is best for them given the terms of their personal contract. This approach is accepted in the guidance.

Unemployed People: Basic Skills

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on boosting the literacy and numeracy of jobseekers in each Government Office region in each of the last six years.

Esther McVey: From April 2011 literacy and numeracy skills provision has been entirely funded through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. In the three years prior to April 2011, DWP expenditure on boosting literacy and numeracy skills of jobseekers was:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008-09 16,602,134 
			 2009-10 24,274,321 
			 2010-11 23,950,109 
		
	
	The expenditure information above is not available by Government Office region for 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) individual incomes if eligibility for universal credit were established using gross rather than net income.

Esther McVey: Under circumstances in which gross income would be used for eligibility calculations other factors such as disregards and taper rates, which have been specifically chosen to create a system in which work pays, would be adjusted to maintain the policy objectives.

Vacancies: Barrow in Furness

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time vacancies were advertised in Jobcentre Plus in Barrow and Furness constituency in each quarter in each of the last five years.

Esther McVey: In November 2012 we introduced Universal Jobmatch, which replaced adverts in Jobcentre Plus offices, therefore we only have figures to meet this request up to that point.
	The full and part-time vacancy numbers for the Barrow and Furness constituency from January 2009 up to the introduction of Universal Jobmatch in November 2012 are in the following table. We are unable to provide this information to jobcentre level.
	
		
			  Full-time vacancies Part-time vacancies 
			 2009   
			 January 37 59 
			 February 164 115 
			 March 126 95 
			 April 410 99 
			 May 195 108 
			 June 184 122 
			 July 140 51 
			 August 239 159 
			 September 154 75 
			 October 184 96 
			 November 206 295 
			 December 223 148 
			    
			 2010   
			 January 145 81 
			 February 238 57 
			 March 157 158 
			 April 139 116 
			 May 223 143 
			 June 186 107 
			 July 182 134 
			 August 223 67 
			 September n/a n/a 
			 October 180 160 
			 November 134 145 
			 December 182 80 
			    
			 2011   
			 January 96 52 
			 February 142 68 
			 March 166 47 
			 April 167 104 
			 May 119 66 
			 June 155 47 
			 July 170 88 
			 August 152 70 
			 September 137 82 
			 October 270 137 
			 November 214 68 
			 December 305 61 
			    
			 2012   
			 January 140 37 
			 February 189 76 
			 March 158 68 
			 April 193 89 
			 May 222 118 
			 June 234 69 
			 July 187 110 
			 August 282 66 
			 September 183 78 
			 October 176 62 
			 November 187 105 
			 n/a = not available ONS Crown Copyright Reserved 
		
	
	Interpretation of Nomis data needs to take account of changes in recent years to Jobcentre Plus procedures for taking and handling vacancies. These figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. A more detailed explanation is available on the Nomis website.

War Pensions

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will exclude war disablement pensions as a source of income when assessing benefits.

Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Derby North (Chris Williamson), on 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 640W.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years.

Michael Penning: Work experience placements are not offered to claimants aged 16 and under. In the last three years a total of 4,358 over 16-year-olds have undertaken a work experience placement in DWP.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2011 322 
			 2012 1,422 
			 2013 2,614 
			 Total 4,358 
		
	
	The numbers for 2011 are lower as the work experience programme commenced in August 2011. Prior to this date work experience was carried out in local offices but the data were not held centrally.
	As part of the 'Get Britain Working' initiative DWP was challenged to achieve 3,000 work experience placements by 31 March 2013. This target was exceeded in February 2013.
	From June 2013, the Department extended work experience opportunities to all of its business areas. This has resulted in a marked increase in the number of work experience placements taken up.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether, in a case where a Work programme participant has an appointment with a provider but then agrees with the provider to attend at a different date, and does so, the provider should make a report which could lead to a benefit sanction; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: I want to assure the right hon. Gentleman that sanctions are not imposed without good reason. If a Work programme participant fails to start or complete any mandatory activity, the provider will first discuss the reasons why with the participant and seek practical solutions around this. Ultimately however, it is up to the provider's discretion whether to refer a compliance doubt to the Jobcentre Plus decision maker for consideration of a sanction. If individuals consider this decision to be unfair they have the right to appeal.

Work Programme

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current performance of the Work programme.

Esther McVey: The Work programme is working and is getting people into sustained jobs.
	Assessment of the Work programme performance has shown great improvements since the programme was launched in June 2011. Up until the end of September 2012, over 54,000 people had found lasting work (normally at least six months); by the end of September 2013, this has almost quadrupled to 208,000 people.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities with what bank the Government Equalities Office's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Helen Grant: For the last financial year, the Government Equalities Office was still using the Home Office's Government bank accounts within the Government Banking System. Any fees or charges incurred would therefore have been the responsibility of the Home Office, the Department does not hold this information.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities which Ministers in the Government Equalities Office have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider was, (b) purpose of the course was and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Helen Grant: No Ministers in the Department undertook training in this financial year.

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years old undertook work experience in the Government Equalities Office in each of the last three years.

Helen Grant: The Government Equalities Office, which is part of DCMS, does not hold records of informal work experience placements which employees may arrange. The Department did take part in the Cabinet Office organised social mobility foundation placements for 16 to 17-year-olds for the last two years. As the number involved is so few I cannot release the figures in accordance with established data protection principles.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure apprentices employed by (a) the Leadership Development Centre and (b) Vision Lifestyle are paid all outstanding monies owed to them.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 16 January 2014
	This matter is currently being followed up by Stockton Riverside College and First for Skills. These are the two organisations currently contracted by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) for delivery of apprenticeships, who have in turn entered into sub-contract arrangements with Leadership Development Centre. The SFA does not have any direct contract with the Leadership Development Centre or Vision Lifestyle.
	The SFA is in close communication with Stockton Riverside College and First for Skills to ensure they are taking the appropriate steps to ensure apprentices trained by Leadership Development Centre are able to continue and complete their training and apprenticeship programme.

Apprentices

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department can take when apprentices are not paid on time by their employer.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 16 January 2014
	Unless the apprentice is contracted through an approved apprenticeship training agency (ATA), the responsibility for payment of apprentices’ wages rests with the employer and will be covered by the terms of the contract of employment between the employer and the apprentice. The training provider cannot use agency funding to pay the apprentice. Should the employer be unable to continue paying the apprentice, the training provider will work with the apprentice to find another suitable employer and may pay the individual whilst doing so.

Apprentices

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what safeguards his Department has put in place to ensure that apprentices employed under his Department's programmes are paid monies owed by their employer; and if he will make it his policy that his Department will pay those apprentices owed outstanding monies by (a) the Leadership Development Centre and (b) Vision Lifestyle.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 17 January 2014
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I am giving today to question 182845.

Apprentices

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills under which of his Department's programmes (a) the Leadership Development Centre and (b) Vision Lifestyle were given a contract to employ apprentices; what due diligence his Department undertook as part of the contracting process; if he will undertake an investigation of the contracting process for that programme; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 16 January 2014
	The Skills Funding Agency has a direct contract with Stockton Riverside College using the adult skills budget—apprenticeships and 16-18 apprenticeships budget. The Leadership Development Centre is a subcontractor to the college. Vision Lifestyle is not declared to the agency as a subcontractor to the college. The agency requires the college to select its subcontractors fairly and that subcontractors have sufficient capacity, capability, quality and financial standing to deliver the provision. The contractor remains ultimately responsible for all provision that is subcontracted.

Breastfeeding

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the contribution of the hon. Member for East Durbatonshire of 25 April 2013, Official Report, columns 801-2, what progress he has made on issuing guidance on breastfeeding at work.

Jennifer Willott: Acas has consulted with a number of stakeholders to develop guidance and advice for employers in supporting mothers whilst breastfeeding at work. The guidance sets out the statutory minimum requirements for employers, as well as good practice guidance to enable employers help support employees who choose to continue breastfeeding on return to work.
	This guidance will be published on the Acas website in the coming weeks.

Business: Leicester

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies registered in (a) Leicester South constituency and (b) Leicester city are classified as (i) small and (ii) medium-sized as defined by the Companies Act 1985.

Michael Fallon: According to Companies House, there are an estimated 1,468 companies in the Leicester South constituency and 10,894 in Leicester City. However, Companies House cannot determine the number of companies classified as (a) small and (b) medium-sized as defined by the Companies Act 2006. The definitions are based on turnover, balance sheet total and number of employees, and Companies House does not capture this information.

Conditions of Employment

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many calls the Pay and Work Rights Helpline has received in each month of the last two years for which figures are available.

Jennifer Willott: The Pay and Works Rights Helpine1 provided in the following table figures for the number of calls received in the last two years.
	1 The free telephone number for this service is 0800 917 2368
	
		
			 Month 2012 2013 
			 January 5,449 4,277 
			 February 5,089 3,933 
			 March 5,036 4,174 
			 April 4,904 4,637 
		
	
	
		
			 May 4,966 4,098 
			 June 4,284 3,958 
			 July 4,990 4,469 
			 August 4,891 4,139 
			 September 4,921 4,827 
			 October 6,187 5,524 
			 November 4,309 4,551 
			 December 2,622 2,960 
			 Total 57,648 51,547

Literacy: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on the provision of adult literacy services in Swindon in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

Matthew Hancock: The amount spent on the provision of adult literacy services (English basic skills training from the adult skills budget) for the past three academic years for Swindon is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Academic year £ million 
			 2010-11 0.41 
			 2011-12 0.57 
			 2012-13 0.70 
			 Notes: 1. Figures do not include English for Speakers of Other Languages and include English training as part of an Apprenticeship. 2. These data do not include English training undertaken as part of the Employer Ownership Pilot. 3. The spend is estimated based on data from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR).

Local Government Finance: Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding was allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon borough council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.

Jennifer Willott: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has made the following payments to Swindon borough council in each of the financial years in question.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2010-11 33,421 
			 2011-12 86,332 
			 2012-13 121,236 
			 2013-14 to date 12,682 
		
	
	I have approached the chief executives of the Department's Executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
	Letter from Ed Lester, dated 16 January 2014
	I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question number 183605 tabled on 15 January 2014 which asked the following:
	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding was allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon Borough Council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.
	I can confirm that Land Registry have not paid any funds to Swindon Borough Council during any of the periods listed above.
	I hope that this information is of assistance.
	Letter from Tim Moss, dated 16 January 2014
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 15 January 2013, UIN 183605 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House has never allocated any funding to Swindon Borough Council.
	Letter from Richard Judge, dated 16 January 2014
	The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, what funding was allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon Borough Council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.
	The Insolvency Service is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, The Insolvency Service has not allocated any funds to Swindon Borough Council in any of 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 or 2013-14 to date.
	Letter from John Alty, dated 9 January 2014
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 15th January 2014, to the Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Intellectual Property Office (IPO), is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The IPO has not allocated any funds to Swindon Borough Council in any of the years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 or 2013-14 to date.
	Letter from Vanessa Lawrence, dated 16 January 2014
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, “what funding was allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon Borough Council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date”.
	Ordnance Survey has made no payments to Swindon Borough Council in any of the 4 years for which data has been requested.
	Should you have any further questions, please let me know.
	I hope this information is helpful.
	Letter from David Parker, dated 17 January 2014
	Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills asking what funding was allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon Borough Council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 (c) 2012-13 or (d) 2013-14 to date.
	The UK Space Agency was formed on 1st April 2011 so can only provide information from 2011-12 onwards. There was NIL funding to Swindon Borough Council from the UK Space Agency in (b) 2011-12 (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 17 January 2014
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 15 January 2014, asking the BIS Secretary of State for details of what funding was allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to Swindon Borough Council in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date.
	No funds have been allocated by NMO to this council during the time periods in question.
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 20 January 2014
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Questions tabled on 15 January 2014, UIN 183605 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Met Office has allocated no funds to Swindon Borough Council during the period in question.
	I hope this helps.
	Letter from Skills Funding Agency, dated 20 January 2014
	Thank you for your letter on funding allocated to Swindon Borough Council.
	The Skills Funding Agency (and the Learning and Skills Council prior to April 2010) has responsibility for funding post-19 further education and skills training.
	Funding values for the 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 funding years for Swindon Borough Council are provided as follows.
	The values provided are actual funding received from Skills Funding Agency. The figures for 2013/14 are actual funding to date (August 13-January 14). Adult Skills funding includes: Adult Skills Budget, Additional Learning Support, Discretionary Learning Support and Community Learning.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2010/11 466,553 
			 2011/12 466,819 
			 2012/13 468,306 
			 2013/14 233,150

Manufacturing Industries: Leicestershire

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of trends in levels of manufacturing activity in Leicester and Leicestershire.

Michael Fallon: “Leicester” and “Leicestershire Country Council and Rutland” are separate administrative areas. The following table shows manufacturing output (in terms of gross value added) from 2009 to 2011 and manufacturing employment from 2009 to 2012 for each of these areas. Note that manufacturing GVA for 2012 is only currently available at the whole UK level.
	
		
			 Manufacturing gross value added and employment 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Gross value added (£ million)     
			 Leicester 1,059 1,125 1,147 — 
			 Leicestershire CC and Rutland 1,961 2,065 2,118 — 
			      
			 Employment (thousand)     
			 Leicester 20.9 23 19.1 20.7 
			 Leicestershire CC and Rutland 41.5 42 42.1 42.6 
			 Sources: Office for National Statistics—Business Registers Employment Statistics and Regional GVA

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 10 December 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr K Joslin.

Jennifer Willott: The correspondence referred to has not been received. If the right hon. Member would forward a copy it can be actioned as a matter of urgency.

Minimum Wage: Personal Care Services

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of best steps to be taken to reduce non-compliance with national minimum wage rates in the hairdressing sector.

Jennifer Willott: The Government take the enforcement of the national minimum wage (NMW) very seriously and dedicate a substantial amount of resources to addressing non-compliance both generally and through a targeted approach.
	At a general level HMRC reviews every single complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline by all workers.
	Between 1 April 2013-12 January 2014 HMRC has identified £183,079 arrears for 163 workers in the hairdressing sector.
	In addition the Government are also toughening up on enforcement of the NMW. The revised NMW naming and shaming scheme which came into effect on 1 October 2013 made it easier to name employers that break national minimum wage law. By naming and shaming employers it is hoped that bad publicity will be an additional deterrent to employers who would otherwise be tempted not to pay the NMW. We anticipate naming employers very soon. The Government also announced that we will be increasing the NMW financial penalty in February 2014 subject to regulation receiving parliamentary approval.
	At a targeted level the Government have stepped up their communication activity to increase the level of awareness of the minimum wage rules across the board. As part of a spot the difference campaign, we issued national and regional press releases targeting the top five sectors including hairdressing as well as the top five regions. We want to help employers avoid falling foul of minimum wage rules unwittingly, and ensure that individuals are well-informed about their minimum wage eligibility. This will also motivate employers to comply with NMW by highlighting the benefits to their businesses and drawing attention to the consequences of not paying workers what they are legally entitled.
	Anyone not receiving the minimum wage that they are legally entitled to should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.

National Careers Service

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2014, Official Report, column 330W, on National Careers Service, what estimate has been made of the proportion of careers advisers who will be qualified to level six by January 2015.

Matthew Hancock: On current trends we estimate that over 40% of careers advisers will be qualified to level 6 by January 2015.

New Businesses

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many approvals were granted by the Registrar of Companies in each of the years ending 31 March from 2007 to 2013 in (a) Swindon and (b) the UK.

Michael Fallon: Companies House estimates that the Registrar of Companies incorporated (your office has clarified that this was what was meant by ‘approvals’) the following number of corporate bodies in each of the years ending 31 March from 2007 to 2013 in (a) Swindon and (b) the UK:
	
		
			 Swindon 
			 Financial year Number of incorporations 
			 2006-07 2,232 
			 2007-08 1,854 
			 2008-09 1,733 
			 2009-10 1,824 
			 2010-11 2,042 
			 2011-12 2,371 
			 2012-13 2,413 
		
	
	
		
			 UK 
			 Financial year Number of incorporations (thousand) 
			 2006-07 449.7 
			 2007-08 372.4 
			 2008-09 330.1 
			 2009-10 365.6 
			 2010-11 400.6 
			 2011-12 455.6 
			 2012-13 482.8

Overseas Trade: Africa

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs regarding the High Level Prosperity Partnership countries and their agreements to drive growth and prosperity in (a) the UK and (b) Africa.

Michael Fallon: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) fully supports the work on the High Level Prosperity Partnership Pilot which is being led for UKTI by the Minister for Trade and Investment, my noble Friend Lord Livingston of Parkhead. He is in close contact with the Minister for Africa, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds), and the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening). A key aim is to work more closely across Government, so that UK-based businesses can be better positioned to win business in Africa. This will support the development of the five African markets covered by the pilot, and be of benefit to both the UK and Africa. The focus of UKTI is twofold; helping deliver major projects, including the high value opportunity in oil and gas in eastern Africa, and supporting small and medium-sized businesses.

Post Offices

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what conditions his Department places on Post Office Ltd to provide services in the event of the retirement of a sub-postmaster.

Jennifer Willott: The Post Office is required to maintain a network of at least 11,500 branches, and to meet Government-set access criteria that see, for example, 99% of the national population within three miles of a post office outlet.
	Sub-postmasters are private businesspeople who are contracted by Post Office Ltd to provide access to post office services. Where a sub-postmaster leaves the network, Post Office Ltd works to identify a new sub-postmaster in the community to provide continuity of service.
	If a branch can viably convert to one of the new operating models under the network transformation programme, a sub-postmaster can only choose to leave the network with compensation if another sub-postmaster is ready to provide continued access to services within the community.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's 10 largest contracts let since the financial year 2010-11 are; what savings have been made in such contracts; what the level of overspend or underspend was in each such contract; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the performance of each supplier of such contract following the contract award.

Jennifer Willott: Prior to August 2012 the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) operated a decentralised approach to procurement and the management of any contracts let. As a result, central records were not maintained and this information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Queen's Awards for Enterprise

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisations and individuals have received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in County Durham in each of the last five years.

Matthew Hancock: The following organisations and individuals located in County Durham have received a Queen's Award for Enterprise during the past five years.
	
		
			 Year Name Queen's Award Category 
			 2009 Professor Allan Gibb, OBE Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion 
			 2009 Northumbrian Water Ltd Sustainable Development 
			 2010 Alperton International Limited International Trade 
			 2011 Mrs Alison Brown Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion 
			 2011 Mr Ronald Batty Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion (Lifetime Achievement) 
			 2011 Bonds Ltd International Trade 
			 2012 Professor Brian Tanner Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion 
			 2012 Pearson-Harper Ltd International Trade 
			 2012 Seaward Electronic Limited (Rigel Medical Division) International Trade 
		
	
	More information on previous Queen's Awards winners is available at:
	https://queensawards.bis.gov.uk/information

Skills Funding Agency

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when his letter to the Skills Funding Agency on funding for 2014-15 will be published; and what the reasons are for the time taken to publish that letter.

Matthew Hancock: The skills funding statement will be published shortly. The letter to the Skills Funding Agency on funding for 2014-15 expands upon the information published in the skills funding statement and hence will be published shortly afterwards.

Stockdale Riverside College

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total value is of the contract entered into by Stockdale Riverside College and (a) the Leadership Development Centre and (b) Vision Lifestyle for the employment of apprentices.

Matthew Hancock: The total value of the contract entered into by Stockton Riverside College with Leadership Development Centre for 2013-14 is £412,715. This is sub-divided into £345,877 for 16-18 apprenticeships and £66,838 for adult skills budget apprenticeships. Stockton Riverside College has not declared that it has a contract with Vision Lifestyle for use of Skills Funding Agency funds.

Stockdale Riverside College

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what due diligence process his Department required (a) the Leadership Development Centre and (b) Vision Lifestyle to undertake prior to their acceptance as sub-contractors for Stockton Riverside College to employ apprentices.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 16 January 2014
	The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) requires its contractors to notify it of any subcontractors it intends to use. According to information supplied by Stockton Riverside College to the SFA, Vision Lifestyle is not a subcontractor to the college. The Leadership Development Centre is a subcontractor to the college.
	The SFA requires that providers do not appoint subcontractors with a contract value of £100,000 or above per funding year unless they are listed on the agency's register of training organisations. The agency also requires that the college selects its subcontractors fairly and that subcontractors have sufficient capacity, capability, quality and financial standing to deliver the provision. The contractor remains ultimately responsible for all provision that is subcontracted.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Jennifer Willott: The Minister for Skills and Enterprise, the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Matthew Hancock), my hon. Friend the Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson), and the noble Lord, Viscount Younger of Leckie, all received media training from Millbankmedia at a total cost of £7,700.
	My hon. Friend the Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) also received unconscious bias training delivered by Professor Binna Kandola at no cost.

UK Trade & Investment: East Midlands

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UK Trade & Investment employees based in the East Midlands were employed in attracting inward investment to Leicester in 2013.

Michael Fallon: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) resource tasked with attracting inward investment is divided between the UK and priority markets overseas. There were 34 priority markets in 2010 and 2012. In 2013, these rose to 40.
	UKTI investment resource in the UK and priority markets overseas is responsible for supporting inward investment to the UK and promoting UK capability at the national, regional and local level. In 2012 and 2013 no employees were deployed on a city-by-city basis within England.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Register

Lucy Powell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of those on the current electoral register in each parliamentary constituency who are at risk of not being transferred to the new electoral register after 2015.

Greg Clark: Electoral registers are compiled and maintained by local authorities, which usually cover multiple and partial parliamentary constituencies.
	To safeguard the completeness and accuracy of the register in the transition to individual electoral registration, the Government are using data matching to confirm the vast majority of existing electors.
	Those people who are not automatically matched will be invited to apply, and then reminded and visited by a canvasser, both in 2014 and 2015. In addition, the Government are making registration more accessible by introducing online registration and providing additional resources at a national and local level to fund activities to boost the completeness and accuracy of the register.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the registration rates were for attainers in each year for which data are available.

Greg Clark: This information is not held centrally.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average cost of registering additional non-voters was in each of the last six years.

Greg Clark: This information is not held centrally. The cost of electoral registration is paid for directly by local authorities through funding which they receive from the revenue support grant.

Primary Elections

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress his Department has made in the last three years on establishing 200 all-postal primaries.

Greg Clark: There are significant costs associated with funding 200 all-postal primaries. The Government are still considering how to take this measure forward.
	Political parties can choose to fund all-postal primaries where they want to, without funding from the taxpayer.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Somalia

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of human rights in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: Respect for human rights in Somalia remains poor. The Federal Government of Somalia have made ambitious commitments to improve human rights by creating functioning justice institutions, by zero tolerance for crimes of sexual violence, and by the establishment of national human rights institutions. The UK welcomes these commitments and actively supports them.

Burma: Political Prisoners

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Burmese counterpart on the release of political prisoners in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Hugo Swire: Ministers regularly raise political prisoners with our Burmese counterparts. In November I pressed a senior Minister in the President’s Office on Thein Sein’s commitment to release all political prisoners by the end of 2013. On 31 December I welcomed further releases but expressed concern over individuals who remain in prison. One political prisoner anywhere in the world is too many.

Pakistan: Religious Minorities

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Pakistan on the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in that country.

Hugh Robertson: My noble Friend Baroness Warsi raised the issue of religious minorities with the Pakistani Prime Minister during her most recent visit to Pakistan and during the UN General Assembly. We continue to raise the issue of the persecution of religious minorities on a regular basis with the authorities in Pakistan.

Israel: Children in Military Custody

Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the treatment of Palestinian child detainees.

Hugh Robertson: Despite some positive developments, we continue to have serious concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinian child detainees. We discuss the issue regularly with the Israeli Government, most recently on 31 December. The UK raised this issue at Israel’s universal periodic review session at the UN Human Rights Council on 29 October.

Israel: Children in Military Custody

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on implementing the recommendations of the report entitled “Children in Military Custody” published in June 2012.

Hugh Robertson: We regularly discuss the issue and the recommendations of the report with the Israeli Government, most recently on 31 December. The UK also raised this issue at Israel's universal periodic review session at the UN Human Rights Council on 29 October, recommending audio-visual recording for all interviews of child detainees.

Trade with Nigeria

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what change there has been in levels of trade between Nigeria and the UK since the Prime Minister’s visit to Nigeria in 2011.

Mark Simmonds: The latest figures show bilateral trade has increased from £5.3 billion in 2011 to £7.2 billion in 2012. In 2011 the Prime Minister and President Jonathan committed to double bilateral trade from 2010 levels by 2014 and we remain on track to achieve this.

Human Rights in Russia

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Russian counterpart on human rights cases in Russia.

William Hague: The promotion and protection of human rights is a key priority in our bilateral relationship with Russia. Most recently I discussed human rights with Foreign Minister Lavrov at the UN General Assembly in September. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), also raised concerns with the Russian authorities in December.

Zimbabwe

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe.

Mark Simmonds: Despite flawed elections, the political situation remains stable. However, the Government now need to deliver for the Zimbabwean people, in particular on their constitutional commitments, secured under the global political agreement.
	Zimbabwe's economy remains fragile, and we remain extremely concerned about the potential impact of Government policies on ordinary Zimbabweans and the region.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which buildings occupied by his Department are owned or part-owned privately; what the total value is of the rent paid to private landlords for the use of such buildings for official duties; and to whom such rent is paid.

David Lidington: During 2012-13, the latest complete year for which data are available, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) paid the following rent for privately-owned buildings used for official duties:
	In the UK, £1,957,363 on five buildings:
	1 Carlton Gardens, London, SW1
	Lancaster House, London, SW1
	Northgate House, Milton Keynes
	Part of Norfolk House, Milton Keynes (stopped renting 28 February 2013)
	Part 12th Floor, Centrepoint, New Oxford Street, London WC1 (stopped renting 31 May 2013)
	Overseas, £36,623,275, was paid in rent and service charges on 244 office buildings and heads of posts' residences, plus ground rent on a further 64 buildings in the financial year 2012-13. Offices overseas accommodate not only FCO staff but also Government partners and wider public sector organisations (e.g. the National Crime Agency and the police). This figure also includes some payments in respect of ancillary land and buildings, e.g. car parks and storerooms. To break these figures down further would incur disproportionate costs.
	Details of the private landlords have not been provided as this would be commercially sensitive.

India

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he holds on the alleged involvement of the then UK Government in the attack on the Golden Temple, Amritsar in 1984; and if he will make a statement.

Hugo Swire: As stated by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 849, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), has been asked to lead an urgent review to establish the facts and this process is under way. As also stated by the Prime Minister the findings will be made public.

India

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will order the release of any further Government documents relating to the attack on the Golden Temple, Amritsar in 1984.

Hugo Swire: As stated by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 849, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), has been asked to lead an urgent review to establish the facts and this process is under way. As also stated by the Prime Minister the findings will be made public.

India

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish all relevant documents outlining the extent of the UK's involvement in the 1984 Amritsar attack.

Hugo Swire: As stated by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 849, the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), has been asked to lead an urgent review to establish the facts and this process is under way. As also stated by the Prime Minister the findings will be made public.

India

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Indian Government about the release of Sikh prisoners.

Hugo Swire: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 9 January 2014, Official Report, column 325W.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation the UK intends to send to the second conference on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons in Nayarit, Mexico on 13-14 February 2014.

Hugh Robertson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 2 December 2013, Official Report, column 570W, to the hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn).
	I will inform the House when a decision on attendance has been made.

Telephone Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Cabinet Office guidance for customer service helplines, published on 26 December 2013, when his Department expects to comply with the instruction set out in that guidance that non-geographic 084 numbers should by default use the 03 prefix.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is already compliant with this guidance.

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers in his Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider, (b) purpose of the course and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Hugh Robertson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the House on 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 569W, by my hon. Friend the Member for North West Norfolk (Mr Bellingham), which provides details of ministerial training from May 2010 to July 2012.
	Since July 2012 one Minister has attended a media training session at Robert Taylor Communications in July 2013. The cost was £1,150.

USA

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his US counterpart on the fairness of the trial of the Miami Five; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The British Government will not make representations to the US Government on the trial of the Miami Five. The British embassy in Washington continues to monitor the issue.
	The Miami Five were tried and convicted in December 2001 in a seven-month open trial of having committed crimes in the US including using false identification, espionage and conspiracy to commit murder.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which of her Department's aids programmes in Bangladesh are being reviewed for a reduction in funding; and what the end date of each such project is.

Alan Duncan: DFID regularly reviews the performance of all programmes to identify actions to improve performance and implications for funding. Annual reviews of our programmes are published on the development tracker website at:
	http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/

Bangladesh

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what arrangements her Department has put in place to ensure that funds given directly to the Government of Bangladesh are properly accounted for.

Alan Duncan: No aid is provided as direct budget support to Bangladesh. About one third of UK aid to Bangladesh goes through Government systems. We reimburse the Government once agreed activities have been undertaken or agreed results have been delivered. Multilateral take responsibility for oversight of the finances and reporting, and funds go to the Government only once these checks have been made. Financial reports from the Government are audited annually.

Bangladesh

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will reduce the funding her Department gives directly to the Government of Bangladesh.

Alan Duncan: DFID is watching events carefully in Bangladesh following the recent elections. We have no intention of rushing into any decisions and have not cancelled any existing programmes.

Bank Services

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with what bank her Department's bank overdraft is held; and what fees and charges were payable on the core Department's bank overdraft in the last financial year.

Alan Duncan: DFID did not use a bank overdraft during the last financial year.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid was sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and what estimate she has made of the amount of such aid sent in 2013.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID spend bilaterally in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for each requested year is as follows:
	
		
			  Spend (£) 
			 2010 123,300,63877 
			 2011 152,962,828.76 
			 2012 135,445,375.91 
			 2013 161,078,441.45

Developing Countries: Forests

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidance her Department gives to developing countries on contour afforestation as a means to prevent flooding.

Lynne Featherstone: Protecting or restoring forest cover can provide an effective means to prevent flooding, but this is very context specific. For example, DFID Nepal is supporting communities in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal to reforest slopes above their villages, to reduce risks of flooding and landslides.

Developing Countries: Homosexuality

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid the Government give to countries with laws that discriminate against homosexuality.

Justine Greening: The UK Government monitors human rights overseas very closely and our assessment is published annually in the Foreign Office's human rights and democracy report. We raise our concerns about human rights issues wherever and whenever they exist. Any direct financial aid to partner Governments is only provided after we have assessed their respect for human rights.

Overseas Aid

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much and what proportion of UK official development assistance was allocated exclusively to her Department's budget in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13.

Alan Duncan: The following table provides information on the amount and proportion of UK official development assistance (ODA) that was spent by DFID during the years 2009-12. ODA is calculated by calendar year.
	
		
			  DFID Official Development Assistance (£ million) UK Official Development Assistance (£ million) DFID Allocation of Official Development Assistance (%) 
			 2009 6,291 7,223 87 
			 2010 7,386 8,452 87 
			 2011 7,723 8,629 90 
			 2012 7,593 8,766 87

Training

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Ministers in her Department have undertaken training courses; and in the case of each such course what the (a) name of the course provider was, (b) purpose of the course was and (c) cost of each session in the course was.

Alan Duncan: DFID does not publish details of individual Ministers' personal training and development plans and activities. This is in line with the approach on civil servants and data protection legislation.